


I'll stop the world and melt with you.

by BadBoyDeanAsf



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety Disorder, Bottom Eddie Kaspbrak, Bullying, Canon Compliant, Consensual Underage Sex, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, High School, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Losers Club (IT) Friendship, M/M, Richie Tozier's Trashmouth, Sleepovers, Top Richie Tozier, Underage Drinking, Underage Kissing, Underage Smoking, bottom!Eddie, eddiexrichie, i literally cant stand top eddie im soz, no pennywise, scared kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2020-10-29 01:35:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 28
Words: 26,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20788406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadBoyDeanAsf/pseuds/BadBoyDeanAsf
Summary: Summer, it was the time where you discovered yourself and realize who your meant to be. For Richie Tozier it wasn’t like that- that wasn’t the purpose. Summer was for hanging out with his losers. Summer was sleepovers and hanging by the quarry. It was getting ice cream and sneaking into the movie theater to watch an R- rated film. It was all about having fun.For most kids, summer bruises came from falling off rusty bikes and climbing trees. Richie’s bruises were part of a different version of summer. The version that he didn’t talk about with anyone- ever. There was one person he confided in- in the middle of the night while they were both hiding in bathrooms to escape parents. He would call Bev, and they would talk for hours on end. Richie would try to console Beverley, he knew what it was like. It was terrifying living in a house where you were unwanted. They talked and cried until it was safe to hang up and go to their rooms.





	1. The trashmouth and his ideas.

Summer, it was the time where you discovered yourself and realize who your meant to be. For Richie Tozier it wasn’t like that- that wasn’t the purpose. Summer was for hanging out with his losers. Summer was sleepovers and hanging by the quarry. It was getting ice cream and sneaking into the movie theater to watch an R- rated film. It was all about having fun. 

For most kids, summer bruises came from falling off rusty bikes and climbing trees. Richie’s bruises were part of a different version of summer. The version that he didn’t talk about with anyone- ever. There was one person he confided in- in the middle of the night while they were both hiding in bathrooms to escape parents. He would call Bev, and they would talk for hours on end. Richie would try to console Beverley, he knew what it was like. It was terrifying living in a house where you were unwanted. They talked and cried until it was safe to hang up and go to their rooms. 

The rest of the losers could never know.

They did though- or they all assumed, with Richie constantly saying he fell off his bike, or tripped. Saying Bowers got to him again. The truth is, that the Losers hadn’t seen Henry Bowers at- granted it was only the beginning of summer. 

It was always Eddie who would ask the questions, as he cleaned up his wounds and bandaged him. Eddie would ask him what happened, and Richie would give him a shitty excuse. One that he prayed Eddie believed. 

Stan and Bill would always invite him over throughout the week- to keep him from his house and to keep him company. The sleepovers got more frequent. Sometimes Ben was there, sometimes it was all of the losers. 

The nights Richie was alone were the scariest.

So he found himself surrounded by his friends on a tuesday night. Eddie complaining that it was the middle of the week and he was going to get in trouble. However no one else complained because it was Richie who called them, more like summoned them. They came however- because it was Richie and he never asked anything of them. He was the most independent of all the losers.

“Listen fuckers.” He paused as he flopped down on his blanket against a rock.

“I was thinking, we could set up a tree house or some shit.” He shrugged- looking them all up and down gauging their reactions.

Beverly was the first one completely up for it and she gave him a smile and a declaration of ‘im in’. 

Ben agreed because he was utterly in love with Beverley and would follow her to the ends of the earth- also he was a pretty good carpenter. Bill and Stan agreed because- why not. 

The only person who hadn’t agreed on the spot was Eddie, who looked unsure and pretty disgusted.

“Do you- Do you guys know how many fucking germs are on rusty nails and chopped wood! We could get diseases! We could accidentally cut ourselves.” 

On the inside Richie was dissapointed that Eddie didn’t want in on his project. However being the little shit he was- he got up slinging his arm around Eddie with a grin and ruffled his hair. 

“C’mon Eds, you can just come along and bring us snacks!” 

The rest of them agreed, “We need our sustenance to complete this task!

Eddie was- well flushed. It became a game of theirs, for Richie to make Eddie as uncomfortable as possible- until he pushed his buttons too far and Eddie makes a snarky comment. Richie however was ‘trashmouth’ and he never completely stopped. 

Eddie nodded slightly, “Fine, but if you guys get a fucking disease im not helping you- especailly you trashmouth.”

The smile on Richies face was large as he gave a wet kiss to Eddie’s cheek.

“I knew you’d come through for us Eds!” 

“Don’t fucking call me that.”

The next morning preparations began, it started with Richie grabbing his boom box and a couple tapes. Even taking out a hidden one- especially to see the looks on everyone’s face when he played madonna in the middle of the woods while they were building the most ridiculous hide out imaginable.

Mike had gathered some of the tools from his farm- after being told of their little plan by Stan at late hours of the night, him being the only homeschooled one of the group ended up being told everything way later than needed. He did however always get invited to sleep overs.

Bev knew they would need screws and such, which she ‘found’ in her fathers garage. She had carried as much as she could into her basket on her bike. There was always a mischievous grin on her face after stealing something- The only thing she hadn’t stolen was her smokes, which she had bought off a boy at school, and who she willingly shared with Richie.

Stan had picked up Bill early in the morning to get breakfast at the diner, while all the other losers slept soundly- well mostly.

Eddie stayed up most of the night tossing and turning thinking of his friends’ plan. There were so many things that could go wrong. He never went to bed- he got up earlier than anyone else, even before his mother. He made his way to the pharmacy grabbing all the bandages, band- aids, and sanitizer he could- with the little amount of allowance he had. He even packed some home made sandwiches.

When they all met in the woods that afternoon there was a feeling of glee in the air, everyone carrying their needed necessities. 

“I knew you’d all show!” Richie laughed as he climbed the largest- thickest- tree they possibly use. 

Beverley was climbing up not far behind him.

It may not have been a coincidence that Richie hadn’t brought anything to help. He was more than happy to watch as his friends built something that they could all enjoy.

“There goes your hopes and dreams of getting buff Rich” Eddie shrugged as he handed Richie another sandwich. 

That was when the thought crossed him, He could be getting buff- maybe even fucking hot if he actually worked at making this place the best it could possibly be. Maybe- just maybe he could even protect himself.

“You’d probably like me buff Eddie-spaghetti, I’d be all big just like my d-” 

“Beep Beep Richie” was Bill cutting him off as Eddie rubbed his hands with sanitizer. He didn’t take it too far. Just far enough to put a smile on his face and a blush on Eddie’s cheeks.

It took about two weeks for Richie to look- Different. He had already shown a jawline before he had decided to help out and work on the treehouse, but now he just looked different. A little less lengthy and a lot more structured. He had these sharp features that Eddie had been staring at on more than one occasion. 

Richie of course- never noticed. 

The treehouse was starting to look pretty decent, Everything was coming together. Eddie never really helped out, but every one of the losers appreciated him being there and granting medical attention when there was a cut and giving out food to the starving kids as they all continuously sweat out the carbs. 

At one point Richie had thought he could defend himself against his parents, He was wrong. He had bulked- but just not as much as he thought he had. 

For the first time ever, Richie didn’t confide in Beverley, instead he was outside Eddie’s window with a split lip and a black eye. The vines going up to Eddie’s bedroom were pretty easy to climb and the knock on the glass pain may have been a little too loud- but at this point Richie was too tired and too scared to care. 

There from the shadows of the room emerged Eddie himself, who quickly opened the window. His face was incredulous- that was before he saw Richie- before he saw the bruises and the cuts. Eddie wasn’t oblivious and for years he told himself it was none of his business. Now after years he knows- yes- it is his business. Richie is his friend, and he needs to be taken care of right now. No matter how much they bickered, how much Richie would make him flustered or uncomfortable, because in a way they were family. 

Richie climbed in with a smile, “Hey Eddie- Spaghetti” he mumbled as he hopped onto Eddie’s bed. He felt comfortable, safe. In ways he never really felt- anywhere else. He was always safe with Eddie- as Eddie was always safe with him. 

“Hold on, lemme’ get the bandages Rich” He whispered as he quickly left the room. 

When he came back he entered with some cloth and peroxide. 

“Sit still you fucker.” Eddie mumbled as he dabbed at his eye, and then his lip. 

He was done soon enough, yet he made no effort to leave, Eddie made no effort to kick him out. They stayed on Eddie’s bed throughout the night talking quietly until Richie was hugging him close and Eddie’s breathing evened out. Richie didn’t sleep well often, but that night he certainly did.


	2. Awh Sugar'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insight into Richie Tozier's mind.

Richie was gone before Eddie woke up, He wasn’t a morning person but he wasn’t willing to be yelled at by Eddie’s mother, nor was he willing to have plates thrown at him. He thought about that often- how he wasn’t the only one who was tortured by his parents. Eddie’s mother in his own terms was ‘literally bat shit’. The lady never left her son alone, with anyone and most importantly never let her son alone with Richie. It was odd how different things were when they were alone. The jokes were light- slower, a little less brash than usual. Of course Eddie stilled called him an asshole, and Richie still joked about fucking his mom, but it was soft, a form of affection and closeness that neither of them had with the rest of the group. 

Richie didn’t go home that morning, he went to the quarry only to find beverley and Ben sitting on the rocks playing tonsil tennis before the sun had even rose. Richie gave a grin and threw a rock past Ben’s head, no intention to actually hit him. 

“Wow, your this horny already Ben, give Bev a break!” He laughed out as he plopped himself beside Beverley wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

That wasn’t anything new, him and Beverley were close- best friends- if he let himself have one. He told her things he had never told anyone else. There were things he would never tell her though, things that tortured him at night when he couldn’t sleep. Or while he was wide awake as his father spat out slurs that would make him cringe and repeat in his head throughout the day. 

Beverely gave him a small smile and flicked the side of his face, “Shut it trashmouth, I haven’t seen him in hours.”

Ben nodded in agreement a small blush on his cheeks as he kicked a rock in response.

“Ah, young love- you do realize its been only ten fucking hours, right?” 

Beverely only responded by shoving Richie by the head and pushing him off their rock. Only to pull Ben back to her and continue their previous activity. It made him sick, not in a jealous way- He didn’t have feelings for Beverley- not like that. Maybe it was just the act itself? He was a self proclaimed ladies man, and making out at one point had made him hot under the color. Recently things had changed. Seeing his friends so happy and ‘in love’ made his guts twist. Sure, he was happy for them- his friends had found some sort of peace in each other, and Beverely deserved peace. She did more than anyone. More than Richie thought he deserved himself.

He shrugged those feelings off and picked himself up from the ground. Kicking rocks as he passed and breaking twigs as he made himself to the woods. The treehouse was coming along- in his opinion at least. It was getting done quicker now that he was actually helping. Maybe if Eddie actually did something other than handing out sandwiches things would be easier. Richie gave a small smile at that thought though. It was funny- thinking of Eddie actually doing something involving physical labour. With like, Rusty nails and hammers- would that could possibly be moldy or have spiders on it- because as he said ‘we leave it out all fucking night’. 

He starred up at it- in some sort of awe, It could be something- it really could be. It could be a place of peace, a place where they could all actually hang out. They could hide and not get into another fucking rock fight with people who basically wouldn’t flinch if any of them died. 

That was probably the scariest thing about living in Derry. If you died, that was it. No one would mourn you, no one would even care. Although there was always the small thought in his head that, yes the losers- his losers, would remember him, they would mourn him. People in this town were scary, and emotionless. They weren’t, The losers had feelings, had opinions. They knew what they wanted, and some of them even knew what they wanted to be. In Bev’s case he knew she wanted to be a designer. 

As he placed a plank of wood up to stabilize the skeleton of their new hide away, he gave a smile at the thought, Beverley Marsh, a famous fashion designer- it sounded about right. She already sews a lot of her own clothes, and much to his surprise constantly offers to sew up his. After multiple times of her pleading and telling him how much the rips and tears of his jeans and shirts annoyed her, he allowed her to fix one pair of jeans and his favorite hawaiin shirt.

Ben, he wanted to be a historian and hopefully spend the rest of his life with Beverely- and Richie could see that happening, He could see them being happy together, after they leave Derry and most likely leave Richie as well. He could also see Ben being successful in somewhere like New York, where there's a rich history and from what hes been told “beautiful museums.”

Bill- He’s probably going to do whatever his parents think is best for him, because thats what they told him is what he needs to do. They would fill his head with him needing to be perfect and needing to be able to take care of his brother if anything were to happen to them. In a way- they weren’t wrong, Georgie would need someone to take care of him, and there’s no one else in the world who would be as good at it as Bill would be. He’s heard there’s nothing like a brothers love.’

Stan, He would also most likely stay in Derry, maybe he’d be a teacher? Maybe he’d run the library. Something he knew he could do, That’s a Stan thing to do. To stay home and be with his family, because that’s what has always been important. Richie’s pretty sure he’d follow them anywhere. Even though they weren’t always accepting, they loved him.

Mike, He would definitely be staying in Derry and running the farm, He would probably start a family with a pretty girl, have a son and raise him to be a good farmer, just like him and his grandpa. He would teach his son to be a good man and to stick by his friends when they got hard. Just like the losers had done for him. 

It was hard to imagine where Eddie would go, Richie couldn’t decide from reality and what he desperately wished for. Richie hoped, and pleaded to whoever was out there that Eddie got away from his mom. In reality Eddie would stay, He’d stay in Derry and take care of his mother till she fucking died. Then he would be hopeless, with no one to love or take care of him and he would be alone in a dingy house for the rest of his fucking life.

Richie- He knew he would be stuck here till he died, thinking about these summers with his friends. While everyone else moved on with their lives, he’d probably be a janitor or some shit. Who fucking knows?

The progress that the tree house had made since Richie had gotten there earlier that morning was very apparent- as apparently he could actually be useful.

“Very nice, Trashmouth” 

The words made Richie almost fall out of the tree, Last he checked he was alone, and as he looked down he could see the rest of the losers staring up at him with an impressed look. He knew it was Eddie, who else would compliment and insult him in the same sentence? 

“Thanks Spaghetti, Mind gettin’ me a sammich’ now?”

It wasn’t long before the rest of the group got to work, Eddie was arranging the music that Richie had brought about a week ago- not that he was looking at what Eddie was doing at all- he didn’t care.

However, he might’ve been looking a little too long because instead of nailing two pieces of wood together, he hit his thumb with a fucking hammer.

“Fuck! Shit! Mother fucking truck!” The spew of curses entertained them all for about three seconds before they all realized Richie could’ve actually broken a bone, and just like that Eddie was there at the base of the tree with gauze and a popsicle stick. 

“If any of you fucking touch me- I swear to god..” Richie mumbled.

“If you don’t let me help you, your gonna be in excruciating pain, dumbass.” was the only response Richie got from Eddie.

Richie didn’t even notice the fact that the rest of the losers had continued with their work. After all, in everyone’’s mind they were all thinking the same thing, ‘Eddie’s got it.’

Eddie sat Richie down on a tree stump with a sigh, Richie was attempting to squirm away from him as much as he could to avoid the pain of being touched. His thumb fucking hurt. Eddie grabbed his wrist- Firmly, which wasn’t and Eddie thing to do.

“Just lemme help, okay?” 

Richie gave a nod, “You’re such a good wife, Eds” 

“If you ever fucking say that again, I’ll cut your dick off Tozier.”

There was a cheeky grin on Richies face, until his finger was being straightened out and gauzed up.

Richie took a break from working for a little while that afternoon, He sat next to Eddie eating- he was on his third sandwich. 

“It’s gonna look good, Right?” He mumbled in Eddie’s direction.

“Definitely, You may be a trashmouth, but you have good vision- not literally though.” He paused- “However you do suck”

“Thats not what your mom said last night, Eds.”

He never enjoyed being pushed off anything unless it was from Eddie Kasbrak. 

This time it just happened to be a tree stump.


	3. Richie Tozier, and his enormous guilt.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eddie is grounded, and its all his fucking fault."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So another chapter for you all! I hope its long, i totally forgot to add the word count on it while i was writing on docs for today! Please, please, please enjoy and leave comments! They make my day! Also don't forget to subscribe to this fic, if you want updates on it and when the next chapter comes out u get notified!

That evening, everyone had parted ways to go home, except Richie and Eddie. They often did that though, splitting up and leaving those two together. It was normal. Richie slung an arm over Eddie as they left the quarry and walked back into town. 

“What do ya say Eds, Ice cream?” 

“Only if your paying.” Eddie muttered as he attempted to shrug off Richie’s arm.

If Richie was honest with himself, he didn’t want to go home- he never wanted to go home. He also just wanted to spend some time with Eddie by himself. They shared smiles, and also ice cream. 

“If you fucking buy chocolate i swear to god-” Eddie let out a huff, In reality it was Richie’s choice because he was paying. He always wanted to do what Eddie wished, He could literally say jump and Richie would always ask ‘how high?’. 

“C’mon Eds’ it’s delicious!” 

“Do you know how many bugs are crushed into chocolate?!” was Eddie’s only response.

Richie picked vanilla, because it was Eddie’s favorite and apparently- had less bugs. 

They stayed at the parlour for a good two hours, just sitting together and messing around. It was almost eleven, and Richie had the sinking feeling of knowing that Eddie was in fact breaking curfew and would most definitely get in trouble- because of him. 

“Eddie- Spaghetti, It’s time for me to take ya home.” He mumbled as he watched Eddie’s face go from joy and excitement to a form of disappointment and sadness that was always there when he mentioned going home to his mother. 

Eddie looked at him and covered his sadness by making a face and pushing his ice cream onto Richie’s own face. 

“You don’t need to walk me, I’m not five Rich” He laughed out, his voice tinged with emotions he was attempting to hide.

“Lemme do it anyway, at least you can blame me for keeping you out.”

He took a step out of the parlour and into the street pulling Eddie out with him. 

“You know she like hates you right?” Eddie sighed looking up at the stars and branches as they passed neighbors and their homes.

“Yeah, but not at night when I come over” It was a snarky comment made to keep the mood light and less serious. 

“Shut the fuck up, trashmouth.” He muttered pushing Richie away, In disgust. Only to have Richie come back to him and wrap an arm around his shoulders holding him tighter. 

“You know you love me, Eds” 

In Richie’s mind he prayed- to literally anything that was out there, that he was right and Eddie did in fact love him in some way. Not the way that he secretly- deep down, wanted him to. He knew Eddie would always care. Probably not as much as Richie does though, Richie would do just about anything for the boy next to him in tiny shorts and ugly jackets. He would do anything to keep him happy. 

If his own home wasn’t filled with unpleasant things and people, Richie would keep him there in his room and let him live a happy life away from his mother. 

They stopped at Eddie’s house only to see a light on in the living room. 

“Do you want me to come in?” Richie asked, concern edging in his voice.

“It’s fine.”

Eddie walked in and Richie could hear the yelling from across the street as he watched. Eddie couldn’t see him, neither could Mrs. K, but he was there watching over that little asshole of a boy. That he would literally fucking die for.

Two days later and nobody had seen Eddie, he wasn’t answering their calls or meeting at the quarry every day like usual. Everyone else was going about their business but Richie was worried. He also felt really fucking guilty for keeping Eddie out past his curfew. He knew that he would get in trouble but he did it anyway because he’s a selfish prick. He could have picked anyone else, but he picked Eddie, the one person who actually needed to be home.

So by the third day Richie was working on the treehouse harder than anyone had ever seen him work for anything. He was pissed. He felt guilty, he felt annoyed, and he most definitely didn’t want to talk.

“Rich, come down from there- We’re getting lunch.” 

Of course the losers’ had sent Beverley the one other person who could actually make him do anything.

“Nah’ im good, im gonna work.” 

He looked down only to see Beverley with crossed arms. She looked at him as if she understood- as if she knew what was going on in her head. The truth is that she didn’t know anything. Beverley had always known Richie had a soft spot for Eddie, but seeing him so distraught over getting the poor boy in trouble solidified a few things for her. She gave him a sympathetic smile and climbed up next to him, swinging herself up on a branch. 

“Y’know I think Bill is pretty cute.” She confessed as she watched him hammer another nail into the structure.

Richie smirked and stopped for a split second as if lost in thought.

“I knew that already Bev.”

Beverely thought about shoving him but decided against it, not only was it dangerous and could probably kill her best friend, but their only medic wasn’t there to save them from injuries this time. 

Richie noticed that too though, He noticed how he got less and less distracted as the two days passed. He noticed how he barely got a scratch on himself. He also noticed how pretty hungry he was, and he began to hear less and less of ‘beep beep’ Richie with the lack of Eddie there was. 

“Its okay if you miss him.” She spoke softly.

“Nah, I only miss his mom being alone on friday nights.” He laughed out.

“Maybe,” She paused, “Just maybe he misses you too.”

That thought became cemented in his head, ‘what if Eddie missed him?’ ‘what if Eddie was lonely?’

It only took about three hours before he gave in and stopped working on the treehouse. It was his only form of distraction, but with Eddie being alone in his room and Richie being alone in his house for once, he took it upon himself to keep Eddie company as best as he could.

He collected some spare comic books- only his favorites, a bag of chips, that he knew Eddie was never allowed to have, and two cans of soda, which he all placed in a small napsack. He rode his bike as fast as he could- all the way across town to Eddie’s house. He hid his bike behind two bushes and made his way up the vines and to the other boys window.

.Two knocks.

That all it took before Eddie was swinging open the window and letting Richie through.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” 

Richie ignored his question for a moment, dumping his bag on the floor and plopping himself on Eddie’s bed. 

“I’m here to save you from boredom, obviously” He retorted.

“Yeah, sure.” Eddie paused, “You sure you just didn’t miss me?”

Richie opened the bag throwing a soda at Eddie who was barrely able to catch it, before quickly snapping back- 

“Of course, I missed you spaghetti, your my one and only.” 

Every joke had a little bit of truth, Richie adjusted his glasses for a moment. He gave a large grin then drinking his soda and ignoring the irritated look on Eddie’s face as the other boy sat down next to him.

“It sucked, Rich.” He mumbled 

“Sucked without you too.” was the quiet response he got back.

“How much longer are you gunna be gone?” 

“Till my mom decides I can leave again.” Eddie turned to look at Richie before he layed down on his back.

Richie did the same staring up at the white pristine ceiling, Everything was clean in Eddie’s room. 

“Maybe, I missed you a little too.” Eddie didn’t look at Richie while he responded, and Richie was too scared to even look at him.

His stomach gave a swoop and his heart felt like it was about to give out, “You’ll be proud to know I haven’t injured myself without you.”

Eddie smiled, “You’ll be upset to know, I haven’t been at all irritated without you.”

After twenty minutes of light bickering and comic books Eddie settled himself under his covers. Richie stayed on top of them for two minutes before Eddie sighed and opened the other side for him. 

“Just lay down.” It was a sheepish command, but one he listened to anyway.

“I don’t want you to leave yet.” Eddie only said it because he was lonely- or thats what they were both telling themselves. 

Eddie was lonely, and Richie had snuck in to see him, Richie would do that for any of the other losers, Right? So yeah, he got under the covers, and he hugged Eddie like he was never letting go. Lets face it- he never wanted to let go.


	4. Eddie Kaspbrak, and his helicopter mommy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Its his choice, he literally would follow you to the end of the earth.” Bill paused. 
> 
> “j-just like we k-know you’d do f-for him.” 
> 
> There was a slight panic in Richie’s mind, Okay yeah, they were close- maybe too fucking close at times, but Eddie was one of the Losers’ so he would follow him anywhere, and that makes him no different than anyone else, Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! So im not gonna lie, I've been on this stupid trip to virginia while starting this fic, and I've been listening to this "reddie" playlist on spotify i might link next chapter. I also happen to be listening to ''2002'' and ''riptide'' bc those are such Reddie songs and I cant even- like omg.
> 
> I'm trying to write long chapters as ive said, but im in the car and i feel so fucking sick send help, I also found a reddie comic on tumblr and i wanna link the acc but my phone died so i have to find it. 
> 
> You guys probably arent reading this but if you are, Hi how are ya?
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ~kellie

They both woke with a start- to screaming. Not the type of screaming Richie was used to, where there was two voices, both forcefully going at each other. This was the scream of one woman who was shrieking like there was no tomorrow. It was then that Richie realized where exactly he was. He was literally cuddling his best friend, in his bed. He had crawled through the window- with Mrs.Kasbrak none the wiser. Until this morning.

“I knew it! You and that Tozier boy!” It was ringing in his ears and they were both up and on opposite sides of the room before she could say another word. It wasn’t even that they had ran- or hopped away from each other. Eddie’s mother was pulling her son by the ear.

That was the first time he had ever seen her touch him in a forceful way, and it fucking scared Richie. Not in the same way it scared him when his dad’s boot collided with his face or ribs. It was a different fear. It was the fear that someone he cared for deeply would go through the same thing that he goes through on a daily basis. 

“Mrs. K” His voice was soft for a second. In the midst of Eddie’s mother yelling at the both of them, and hearing poor Eddie’s attempts at denial and defence. 

He spoke again, firm, louder.

“It was my fault.” 

He paused taking a step further into the room.

“Don’t blame Eddie, I fell asleep here, I distracted him from school work, im sorry.”

He didn’t look down, or at the floor, or even at Eddie’s mother. 

‘Im sorry.’ Lingered in the air, as he looked directly into Eddie’s eyes. He knew that the other boy wouldn’t be seen for a lot longer now. Once again- that was on him and it was his fault.

“You’re no good, boy!” She yelped as she let go of Eddie, and dragged Richie down the stairs by the shirt collar. 

He knew that though, he knew he was no good for Eddie Kasbrak, he knew that Eddie was way too good for him. Eddie would never push him away, even if they bickered and insulted each other, they were like family. The losers were his family. Eddie wasn’t all he had but he was all he wanted. 

So he left the house with a ‘yes m’am, ‘ and an ‘im sorry m’am.’

“So you snuck into his window?” Bev asked as they sat together on her porch. Cigarette between her fingers as she passed it to him.

He took a puff and nodded, staring off into the street.

“And his mom just like.. Dragged you the fuck out?” 

He nodded again “Yeah” He paused handing her the stick back.

“Granted if i saw a no good trashmouth boy in bed with my innocent son, I’d flip my shit too.” He laughed.

It was a joke- another joke, to cover up the clear and obvious pain of the fact that once again, Eddie was quite literally- ripped away from his arms. How fucking unfair is that.

Beverely kicked him in the leg with a smirk, “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy being there, Tozier”

He shrugged stealing the cancer stick from her once again and dragging, keeping it in his lungs for as long as he could. He could feel the burn and he- for a second, might have even enjoyed it. 

“Doesn’t matter.” He mumbled.

“How come?” 

“He won’t be seein’ me for a while.” He crushed the cigarette with his foot to put it out and got up from the porch. 

“You will though, hot stuff” He winked, walking away and hopping onto his bike.

It only took a few hours before news of Richie’s decision flooded in between all the losers’. His house phone was ringing off the hook for thirty minutes before he got annoyed- and bored enough to answer the phone.

“Tozier’s Sex line, I speak it, you beat it.” He answered.

“Y-your not gonna t-talk t-to him?” 

It was Bill, of course it was Bill.

“Nah, I’m sure he’ll be fine with you guys.” He smiled, hoping it would show in his voice.

“W-w-when he c-comes b-back, he’ll b-be lookin’ f-for y-you.” 

He could hear the concern in his friends voice. Richie and Eddie apart? Unusual. It made Richie uncomfortable to think about it. To avoid his best friend, but here he was spending his night on the phone with big bill, instead of getting Ice cream with Eddie, or Sitting at the Quarry again- with Eddie. It was fucking weird, and he didn’t like it.

It was for the best- he knew that. To keep Eddie out of trouble. He didn’t deserve to get screamed at from his mother, or get his ear pulled across the room. He didn’t deserve to hear the disapointment in his mother’s voice. He didn’t deserve to hear the things that Richie often heard himself.

“Look dude, He’s just gonna keep gettin’ in trouble because of me, thats not right.” 

He could hear Bill’s huff from the other line.

“Its his choice, he literally would follow you to the end of the earth.” Bill paused. 

“j-just like we k-know you’d do f-for him.” 

There was a slight panic in Richie’s mind, Okay yeah, they were close- maybe too fucking close at times, but Eddie was one of the Losers’ so he would follow him anywhere, and that makes him no different than anyone else, Right?

Right.

“Yeah, Just like you or any other loser.” He responded

“Gotta go.” He paused, That seemed a little lame- even for him. “Im late to fuck your mom.” 

“Bee-” 

He hung up.

The next day Ben came over, they didn’t hang out that much on their own, due to the differences in their personalities. It was nice though, Richie had shown him some of his new favorite music, and Ben had been reading. It was a form of friendship where you didn’t always have to say something to enjoy each other’s company.

An odd thing to think of, considering who Richie was as a person.

That was ‘till Ben closed his book with a frown. 

“‘You’re really not gonna talk to Eddie from now on?” 

Richie nodded, He didn’t really have it in him to respond. 

He had been having this inner monologue about it for hours, While he had been hanging around with Ben, he had thought of Eddie a total of two hundred times- Or that’s at least what it feels like.

Ben turned to face him, “If you ignore him, He’s going to get upset.. You know that right?” It seemed as if Ben’s argument had been planned, had been thought out. As if he had spent hours in front of the mirror arguing with himself, as to be able to convince Richie. Who in recent years had become some what of an immovable rock.

In the last couple weeks it had become apparent just how close Richie and Eddie really were. How deep Richie actually cared for him, and Eddie cared for him in turn. The only person who had really caught on other than Beverley was Ben- who was coincidentally Eddie’s best friend- of course other than Richie. 

“Yeah, but at least he won’t be grounded.. I’d actually like to see him in school.” He muttered.

Ben gave a frown and looked around the room, at the various polaroids on the dresser and nightstand. The majority of which were the seven of them. There were a few of them all together, and a lot of Richie and Beverley, There weren’t a lot of him and Eddie- Which seemed out of place- in Richie’s life and in his room. 

“If he asks me what’s going on, I’m not going to lie to him.”

Richie stood up, walking to his dresser and changing his tape on the boom box. 

“Yeah, I know.”

The next person who confronted him about it was Stan, Who quite literally waited for him to show up at their work in progress at the woods. He stood all six feet of him against the large tree, Instead of being preoccupied with what he called ‘gorgeous birds.’ He was staring right at the clearing as Richie walked past trees holding his own lunch and tools.

“He called me y’know.” were the first words from his dear Stanley’s mouth.

Richie climbed himself up to the edge of the walls being built, making use of the steps that he had made whilst enraged at himself, and filled with guilt. 

“So?” 

“He’s getting ungrounded in two weeks, For now he’s allowed one call a day.” 

It sounded like the kid was in fucking prison, and in ways he was. His mother was torturing him, filling his head with nonsense and fake medication. She had caused anxiety that would never leave Eddie’s body, no matter how hard anyone tried. It made his heart ache. Eddie would always be scared of everything, and no matter how much he teased or how angry they would get at each other- Richie was always by his side. Now here he was, ignoring- no, not ignoring.. Avoiding?

That wasn’t the word either, He knew that he wasn’t avoiding his best friend, He was distancing himself. It was for the better. 

“Yeah, well it’s good he called you, your sensible.” 

Stan could barely hear Richie over the pounding of metal against wood. 

“He’s calling Beverley tomorrow, He has a schedule.” 

Richie let out a huff of a laugh and almost hit himself- again- with that fucking hammer.

“Do me a favor, tell him to skip over me?” 

Stan shook his head, climbing up the steps himself and sitting on the ledge of the wooden floor. He leaned against a newly placed pole and looked out- He could see peices of the quarry from there and he smiled- There was a glint in his eyes, something that Richie couldn’t place.

“Nope, He’s gonna think your mad at him.” 

Yeah, Thanks Stan, playing with Richie’s need to please Eddie. He felt something creeping up his throat, almost like a feeling to plead and beg to Stan to just make this easy on him and help him out. To just tell Eddie ‘no, he’s not mad, he’s just busy.’ 

All he had to do was keep this up to the end of summer, and things would be fine. They would see each other at school, and Richie could show him the finished tree house- when it was finally completed. He knew Eddie would be bummed he wouldn’t have been there to see it be finished by his friends.

“He needs you guys right now, not me.” He paused, placing another plank next to the one Stan was leaning against. “I’m no good for him.”

“Yeah, your a fucking trashmouth, and you scare literally everybody.” 

Those words, coming from his best friend hurt, and it gave him a sinking feeling in his gut. He knew Stan was right. He knew-

“But your our trashmouth, and Eddie relies on you way too much for you to up and leave.”

There was a smile playing on both their lips, Sure He sucked, at almost everything- including keeping his mouth shut, but once again Stan had shown him just how much a family they were.

Still- He hadn’t changed his mind.

Three days later, Richie had decided to hit the farm and chill with Mike- who may have also scored pot the same day. He needed the distraction, he needed to feel good, for once. He had been extra pissy the last few days- snapping at every little thing. Most of the losers were now avoiding him due to his lack of cheeky comments- which had been replaced with morbid thoughts and less mom jokes, and more death is inevitable jokes. Self deprecation. 

His father wasn’t enjoying Richie’s new mood either. They had come to blows a total of 4 times in the last two days. The first one had ended with Richie slamming the door and escaping to Beverley’s for the night. The second had ended with a fist in a wall- and his very own broken hand. One that now- Eddie couldn’t fix. 

Richie and Mike sat in the barn at dusk with two different expressions on their faces. Richie’s face seemed to change from emotion to emotion at any given moment. Mike could tell from his facial features he was somewhere between emotional, deprived, and in bliss. 

“You should just call him.” Mike shrugged as he passed the joint between them.

“Not the time Mike.” 

“Aren’t you curious to how he’s doing?” 

“Always.”


	5. Three weeks- Or as they say, Forever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the losers weren’t as forgiving, Richie not speaking to Eddie was causing disruptions in their group dynamic, they could all see that. Richie- was trying to not notice. There were things missing when they all hung out. Obviously Eddie was missing, but there was more, Richie’s jokes turned from obnoxious- yet laughable, to painful and false.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guyz and turtles! I have indeed written another chapter! Im putting this out late because i just got home from work and im very tired! But im so invested in this fic and i hope you all like it! 
> 
> How are you guys?
> 
> I dont know if this is even 1k words, i hope it is, my google docs stopped doing my word count bc they suck. This is a little sad but hey, the fic is moving along nicely! I promised slow burn!

The treehouse is finished by mid July, and by then almost all of the losers had been in it. They had left their print in it. Richie- Who had been the one to finish the project refused to even go inside. There was nothing that could get him inside that thing except to finish it- and when he did, he stayed far away from it.

He had gone three weeks without even talking to Eddie, He had taken most of his frustration out on the treehouse and building it. He spent hours putting it together, and when that was done he even painted it. The majority of his summer had been spent building it and maintaining it. 

When he wasn’t doing that, He had his smoke breaks with beverley and even went to a few parties. They were getting older now, They were entering their sophmore year. Richie had been invited to a few parties after he had started the treehouse. 

He supposed it was because he looked different, He looked older- Stronger? He looked like less of a loser and more of someone who could deck you in the face and get away with it. He had agreed to go to this party with the terms that all of his friends were invited. 

Needless to say, They were out of their element. 

It didn’t take long before Bev was pouring the drinks and Bill was playing beer pong. Poor Ben stood in a corner for a good hour and a half before even taking a drink. Stan was right behind Bill, watching him do his thing. Everyone- other than the losers- Were so smashed, they didn’t even notice Bill’s stutter, and he gained a lot of popularity that night.

Richie- He was not out of his element, Unsurprisingly a loud mouth like him fit right in at a house party. He made people laugh, and he was drunk off his ass and had been smoking all day, switching from nicotine to pot around three hours ago. He drank, and drank, and then drank some more. 

He was shit faced. 

“Hey- Huh- Hey” He paused, giving a hiccup to the air and flopped down on a couch besides Stan. 

“Do you think I should call Eds?” 

Stan gave an incredulous look, squaring his jaw, Things had been weird between them for a couple of weeks. After he had decided to distance himself from Eddie- ‘it was for the best’- Stan had been shrugging him off and ignoring him. He could tell there was a part of Stan that wanted to talk to him. There was also a part- a very obvious part of him that was beyond pissed off.

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” He mumbled.

“W-uh Why?” 

“You ignored him for weeks Rich, He’s not happy, and neither are we.” 

Richie shrugged, patting his friend on the shoulder and walking towards a larger group. If all of his friends were mad, what was he supposed to do? He knew Bev wasn’t mad at him, She understood. No matter how many times she had tried to change his mind, She knew that he was immovable on the subject of Eddie. 

The rest of the losers weren’t as forgiving, Richie not speaking to Eddie was causing disruptions in their group dynamic, they could all see that. Richie- was trying to not notice. There were things missing when they all hung out. Obviously Eddie was missing, but there was more, Richie’s jokes turned from obnoxious- yet laughable, to painful and false. 

Bill would bring up Eddie, and suddenly his mouth was shut, He wasn’t trashmouth Tozier, He was just Richie. He didn’t have anything to say- to anyone. At all. 

“Billy boy!” 

Richie slung his arm around his occupied friend, He could feel Bill tense for a minute before turning to face him.

“Wha-?” Bill couldn’t even get out his first words before richie continued.

“Stan says you’re mad at me, and that I shouldn’t call Eddie.” 

Bill pushed his arm off lightly and turned his whole body towards his friend.

“I’m not mad, I just feel bad for Eddie.”

Bill’s eyes looked sad for a moment and he turned away. 

“You’re fucked man, because he’s the angriest out of all of us, and your lucky his mom wont let him out of the house.”

“I miss Eddie-spaghetti” He mumbles. 

“He would be very upset to hear you call him that.” 

“That would be-” 

Then Richie was turning away and spewing his guts all over a random girls shoes. In a way its ironic because she was the one who invited him. Its also kind of odd because she was the one who also tried to make out with him an hour ago before be got too drunk and began rambling about how much he missed his best friend.

When he woke up the next morning he had the world’s worst migraine and an ache in his chest. He couldn’t at this moment pin point wether the pain was from puking his guys out or if he was just that fucked up about Eddie.

He missed Eddie’s voice, and his insults, mostly though he missed his face. He could imagine the freckles and the angry little pout that he often had. Sometimes he would think about Eddie yelling at him, or correcting him. Although it used to give him some sort of irritance, it was also adorable and it gave him a since of joy and happiness that he didn’t get from anything- or anyone else. He was important. Too important.

He was way too sweet to get fucked up by Richie ‘trashmouth’ Tozier.

He was also however his best friend and the only person in the world he would climb into a second story window for. He was the only person who he’d ever cuddle with, and not immediately want to retract himself and make a snarky comment.

He rolled over, and he was ready to just go back to sleep, it was his summer vacation- there was nothing else to do. However, his landline had other ideas. He grabbed the ugly blue thing with a loud- obnoxious groan.

“What. the. Fuck. do. You. want.”

“H-he’s g-going t-to the q-quarry tonight.” 

Richie could feel his heart sinking, but at the same time, it was in his throat. He couldn’t breathe.

Eddie was getting out. Eddie was going out. Eddie was out. Eddie. 

It was the first time in almost a month that there was even a possibility that he could run into Eddie. The first time in forever that he could maybe even get a glimpse of the other boy. 

No. Nope. Not happening.

“Well, good for him- I’m staying home.” 

“N-ot t-tonight, y-our not.” Bill responded.

“You’ll have to drag me from my fucking bed.” 

The line was disconnected from Richie himself, Who always had the last word.


	6. Phone calls and bed talk.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She whipped her towel at him and laughed, her shoulders shaking, It was a real laugh, one that reached her eyes. Which was rare for the both of them. He could tell though, that Ben made her happy. That he genuinely filled her heart with joy.
> 
> “He told me he liked me, on the walk home.” 
> 
> “So what the fuck did you do?!” He smirked- pausing, “Did you fuck him in the middle of the street?”
> 
> She scoffed, “No idiot, I kissed him.” 
> 
> “I don’t know if we’re together though, He blushed, and then his mother called him inside, I fucking hope she didn’t see us. That’s fucking awkard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't have work today! Thank god! I was so tired that I didn't start writing till 7! Not a big deal though, because i was able to pop out a chapter I feel genuinely good about! In all honesty all your comments are filling me with so much joy! I wake up every morning to see them and they always make me smile! I might do another chapter today maybe. I did promise slow burn so, enjoy that. I lowered the angst in this one for you all! So please enjoy and dont forget to comment!
> 
> <3
> 
> ~kellie

As it turns out, life sucks without your best friend and partner in crime. Although he certainly had less bruises from being elbowed in the side, and being kicked in the shin. He stilled missed that hypochondriac more than anything in the entire world. From what Bill had told him Eddie was indeed looking forward to seeing him, Even though Stan had said he had been pissed. 

There was a part of Richie that hoped, and prayed to whatever was out there, that Eddie missed him just as much as Richie missed him. True to his word, Bill had attempted to drag Richie from his bed, and seeing as Bill hadn’t nearly worked as hard on the treehouse as Richie did, he also wasn’t nearly as strong. Richie had held on to his bed, even as Stan had walked through the door and had attempted to pull him himself.

They left with huffs, and an angry close of the bedroom, and house door. Thats when it happened, He got the call. Everyone was supposed to be at the quarry, but he assumed Bev was probably waiting for him at her house and was getting more and more irritated as the minutes wore on. So he answered.

He put on the best impression of a cleaning lady he could- although everyone knew he didn’t have one. His house was a wreck, full of beer bottles and trash. 

“Richie Tozier can’t come to the phone right now!” He responded to the silence

He heard an irritated groan on the other end, and He knew immediately that it was his best friend on the other line.

“Rich- come on, you know its me”

“Yup, but i’m half asleep so I gotta go back to bed, night Eds!” 

“Fucktard, don’t you even think ‘bout hanging up on me!”

Part of the reason he was reluctant to even see Eddie, was because he could never possibly ignore a request or deny him of just about anything. Eddie’s voice made him weak, made him willing to do anything for him. Eddie was the object of his affection, and he more often than not found himself doing stupid and ridiculous things in order to get his attention, or even to make him laugh- because god that fucking laugh was the most glorious thing he had ever heard, and he was dying to hear it again.

There was silence on his end for about three seconds.

“Eds’ I really gotta go.” He mumbled- pained.

“You never ignore me, I kinda even miss you- trashmouth.” 

He felt like his heart could give out any second.

“You’ll probably see me soon, Have you seen the treehouse? I did pretty good didn’t I?”

There was a laugh coming from Eddie, it wasn’t as pretty as hearing it in person, but he was filled with pride knowing he caused it.

“Yeah, I saw it today, I never knew you could be so productive Rich.”

Richie smiled and shook his head laying back on his bed, He could stay on the phone for a little while.. It wouldn’t kill him.

“The losers’ said you haven’t been in it yet.” 

“Wanted you to see it first Spaghetti.” It was the truth.

“Did ya add anything to it?” Richie asked- He was genuinely curious.

“I added those string lights, y’know the ones that you can attach just about anywhere?” 

That sounded like something Eddie would add, Not only would it look good, but it was sensible, they would be able to see at night, and could see any sort of animal or bug that made its way into their little hide away.

“Have you?” 

Richie looked up at the ceiling with a frown.

“Nah, not yet.” 

There was a disappointed sigh on the other end.

“You should add something, Something that shows you’ve been there, that you made it.” He paused. “Cause lets face it, from what I heard, you did all the work.”

Richie gave a smirk to the darkness, Eddie sounded kinda impressed.

‘Eddie- bear! Who’s on the land line?!’ 

Richie’s heart sunk, Of course thier perfect moment would end like that. With Eddie’s psychotic mother controlling Eddie’s every move. If that woman found out he was on the other line Eddie would probably be stuck back inside ‘till senior year.

“Just Bev ma!” 

“Hey Bev, I gotta go” Eddie’s voice was soft and reluctant- Something Richie hoped his mother couldn’t hear. 

The minute the line went silent, Richie dialed Beverly’s number.

“Bev, I spoke to him.”

There was a screech on the other end causing Richie to roll his eyes at the ceiling.

“So are things fucking resolved?!” 

“We kinda, like, Ignored it?” His voice was unsure- as if he hadn’t just been participating in the conversation.

“Sounds like you guys-” She paused, “Hold on Bill is on the other line, I’m gonna merge the calls.” 

The next thing he heard was shuffling. 

“I-I just go-t off the phone with Eddie, y-you guys talked?” 

“Hi Richie, how are you?” Richie responded sarcastically.

“I just saw you R-rich.”

“Yeah! They spoke, but apparently they ignored the elephant in the room.” Bev chimed in.

“I thought he was just gonna yell at me.” 

“ S-so did I.”

“Its like we never stopped talking.” He confessed.

“I told you, Rich.” Bev was smiling on the other line, He could hear it.

“S-so a-are you coming to the quarry?” 

“Not yet, Billy boy.”

“He’s probably expecting you right now, He’s gonna be disappointed.” 

“Yeah Bev, I know.” 

About three hours later, there was a knock on his door, and a soaking wet Beverly was standing in front of him. 

“Let me in fucker.” She smiled.

He shrugged moving aside and letting her in, She went straight up the stairs to his bedroom and sat on his desk. He guessed, as to not get his bed wet- not that he really cared.

“I talked to Ben today.” She giggled.

“Hm, How is lover boy?” 

She whipped her towel at him and laughed, her shoulders shaking, It was a real laugh, one that reached her eyes. Which was rare for the both of them. He could tell though, that Ben made her happy. That he genuinely filled her heart with joy.

“He told me he liked me, on the walk home.” 

“So what the fuck did you do?!” He smirked- pausing, “Did you fuck him in the middle of the street?”

She scoffed, “No idiot, I kissed him.” 

“I don’t know if we’re together though, He blushed, and then his mother called him inside, I fucking hope she didn’t see us. That’s fucking awkard.”

“Yeah, if Eddie caught me with his mom, he’d blow a gasket.” 

“He’s not here to do it, so fucking beep beep, Rich!” 

He moved under his covers after closing the curtains to his bedroom window. 

“I really hope you two get together though, You deserve to be happy, Bev.”

Suddenly he face softened and you could tell she didn’t care about getting the bed wet anymore as she lay opposite to him on the other end of his bed. 

“I hope so too.”


	7. Richie Tozier, Who made the rule, of not climbing through windows.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wasn’t though, and He knew for a fact there would be no more sneaking into bedroom windows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I promised a second chapter, and I dont think its that long but i think this chapter is mixed with a lot of fluff and angst. I think its cute anyway!
> 
> Have a good day!
> 
> ~kellie

Richie’s phone cord was wrapped around his arm as he lay out on his bed stretching his leg out with a smile, as Bev gave him a large knowing grin. She was painting her nails as they listened to a soft tune. It made his heart and stomach warm. It was like his whole body was smiling.

“No Eds, I’m not listening to pop music right now, thats lame.” 

“Are you with Bev right now?”

“Obviously, Spaghetti, who else would spend time with me?”

Richie rolled his eyes at his best friend with a toothy grin.

“Yeah, I heard you’ve been especailly pissy, recently.”

His smile fell.

“Thats because I haven’t seen your mom in a while, Eds.” 

There he went, changing the subject when he immediately got uncomfortable.

“Shut up, When are we hanging out, Rich?”

“Dunno, I’m pretty busy right now.”

Bev opened her arms as if to say ‘what the fuck’ before turning away again.

“C’mon Richie, I haven’t seen you in a month.” He paused, “You haven’t even crawled through my window, like the creep you are.”

Beverly almost dropped her nail polish in a small shocked state.

‘You sneak into his window?!?’ she mouthed.

He was turning red and sighed.

“Look Eds, I gotta go.”

“But R-” 

He had already hung up the phone before he could get out another sentence. Eddie Kaspbrak was going to be the death of him. 

Beverly shook her head.

“So you really snuck into his room?” She questioned, curiosity on her face was blatant.

Richie shrugged.

“What did you guys do.” 

Beverly wiggled her eyebrows as she lay herself down on the other end a blew at her nails.

“We just like- talked and shit, till he fell asleep.” He paused, “Or I fell asleep.”

He looked down at the phone, “It doesn’t matter.” 

“It won’t happen ever again.” 

Beverly laughed and shook her head, poking him in the leg. 

“Until you get lonely, until you miss him too much and give up.”

He knew she was right, the more he talked to Eddie the more he missed him. It might even be worse than when he hadn’t been talking to him at all. Richie knew that with every phone call he was left wanting more of Eddie, wanting to see him, and god forbid have some form of physical contact. 

He knew things would be different when they saw each other again. He hoped at least when they did, summer would be over and they would be in school, Things would be easier- their time together would be limited and so would their contact. As long as he kept it together for thirty to forty minutes a day- he would be fine.

He only had a couple of weeks left, but for the first time in his life- he couldn’t wait for summer to be over. His treehouse project was done, and although the rest of the losers had been in it for the last couple weeks, he had been in his bedroom sulking alone, or chilling on Beverly’s porch smoking. 

He wondered though, if Eddie had changed at all? Or if he looked the same. He knew his personality hadn’t changed at all. He knew his smile and his freckles would stay the same- and if he got outside in the last couple weeks, he might even have a light tan- Which Richie would think is absolutely beautiful.

“I gotta go see Ben, He wanted to talk.” 

Richie waved her a silent goodbye “Close the door on your way out!”

So he was back to staring at the ceiling in a teen angst and pain in his chest. Things were different between all of the losers right now. He could see Bill and stan growing closer. It scared him that all the losers might be pairing off. It probably wouldn’t bother him so much if it was him and Eddie chilling in his room on days like this, or spending late nights together in Eddie’s bed.

He wasn’t though, and He knew for a fact there would be no more sneaking into bedroom windows.


	8. Henry Bowers' was fucked.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He made it to the first floor, all eyes on him- but not Eddie’s His eyes were on the floor, and he was covered in black and blues, a split lip. Something that made his heart drop. Eddie had never looked so defeated in his life- He had known Eddie his whole life, this was different. His feet were moving before he could start thinking, He was usually the first to break silence- but this time he had no words. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEYO! So this is a little bit of a sad chapter, but a lot of the angst is over for right now! You'll be getting way more, considering this is going to be a pretty long fic! I hope you enjoy this chapter, i tried to make it longer than usual but its probably around 1k words. Please, please, please, leave kudos and comments! Dont forget to subscribe to the fic and to me, if u want updates on the fic and updates on more of my writing! Like when i post a new fic!

Richie was wrong, within three weeks he was itching to actually be in the same room as Eddie. It had been worse than ever before- now that they were on the phone every day, trying to talk together for as long as possible. They had been on the phone for hours the previous night, talking about anything and everything at once. Eddie had snuck into his kitchen late that night to call Richie. 

He had sounded so sad- almost hurt. 

They spoke about Eddie’s mom, who was smothering him more than ever, and he felt like he was under water and drowning. After hearing Eddie talking about his emotions so openly, his heart began to ache. 

‘She will barely let me pick up the phone, Or even go outside. I feel so trapped.’ 

The words rang in his ears all night. Eddie was trapped, He was scared, he was sad. Part of Richie blamed himsefl- He knew it wasn’t completely his fault, and keeping his distance was helping Eddie stay out of trouble, but he could tell it was making them both sad.

They were best friends, Maybe they were a little too close, but that’s only what Eddie’s mother would say.

Eddie had told him how badly he just wanted to be in school, So he had some semblence of normalcey, and some time away from his mother. He knew that Eddie would feel free, he would feel at least a little bit happy. 

Richie couldn’t wait either, when the school year began it would be inevitable that they would see each other. Although his original plan was to avoid the other boy like the plague, his walls and boundaries seemed to be disinigrating all together, with every phone call and every word.

School was three weeks out, He knew Eddie wouldn’t be going back to school shopping, and neither would most of the losers’. He knew Stan and Bill would be going- considering both of their families were more well off than most of the losers combined. 

Richie wouldn’t be going shopping either, The amount of money he had to his name was about ten cents. He knew his father would absolutely never give him any money for school supplies or clothes. Most of his clothes had come from thrift stores, and even then he could rarely afford it. Stealing had become a habbit. Although he never did it around Eddie, it might just give the other boy a heart attack.

He could only imagine how things would be when they entered the halls in a couple weeks. 

His thoughts were always interrupted, right on time- as usual. His bedroom door swung open to reveal Stan an irritated look on his face, and agitated eyes.

“Rich! I demand you go see Eddie.” It was stern, but not enough for Richie to take him seriously.

“Nah man, I’ll see him in school.” He responded, bouncing a ball against his ceiling and catching it.

“You don’t know how bad its gotten have you?” Stan questioned.

“Look dude, I know his mom is fucking crazy bu-” 

“No trashmouth! His fucking anxiety and asthma has been through the roof, Im surprised he didn’t tell you.”

Richie stopped for a second, sitting up on his bed and looking at Stan, there was mourning in his eyes.

“I think he’ll be fine.” 

“He went out today.” was Stan’s only response, and Richie froze.

.He has extreme anxiety. His asthma is too bad. He’s scared. He’s drowning.

“And?” 

“Bowers’ finally showed up.” The angry look softened, but Richie’s whole body tensed.

“Is he- Is he okay?” 

Stan sat down next to Richie with a sigh.

“He’s down stairs, ask him yourself.”

Richie’s heart stopped- He was down stairs, Eddie was here, in his fucking house, Injured and probably terrified, because no matter how much of a fucking fire cracker he was, He was just a scared teenager who couldn’t fight for his life. 

“I-I cant go down there, Stan” 

“You’re fucking going to, Or im dragging you.” 

So he did, His steps down the stairs were shaky and unsure. He could hear soft talking from voices he recognized. He could hear beverly in an angry whisper, and Bills stutter as he tried to keep everyone calm.

He made it to the first floor, all eyes on him- but not Eddie’s His eyes were on the floor, and he was covered in black and blues, a split lip. Something that made his heart drop. Eddie had never looked so defeated in his life- He had known Eddie his whole life, this was different. His feet were moving before he could start thinking, He was usually the first to break silence- but this time he had no words. 

“Jesus, what the fuck happened?” Generally, he was speaking to the air, or anyone who could hear him.

He knelt onto the floor moving Eddie’s hair from his face, He nervously adjusted his own glasses. 

“What the fuck do you think, Rich?” Beverly was seething, something he had never seen before.

Richie looked up at Beverly, with a scared expression- Eddie was hurt, he was hurt because Richie wasn’t there to walk him home, or to the pharmacy.

“C’mon Eds, Look at me.” He placed his hand on Eddie’s chin to move his face up. 

“You’re gonna be okay, I promise.” Richie spoke, soft and tender- Something that the rest of the losers rarely heard, It was a voice reserved for Eddie, and Eddie alone.

“Shut up, Trashmouth, Im in pain.” He tried to sound menacing, but it really came out in a pained cry.

“My mother is never going to let me leave the house again.”

Richie sat down next to him placing a blanket around the other boy.

“Listen, Bev has makeup you can use to cover it up, But tonight your going to tell her your staying with Billy boy.” Richie spoke, It wasn’t a suggestion at all. 

“However, You’ll be sleeping in my bed- Because I’m not letting you leave right now.”

“Wuh-We will stay too, we don’t want to leave him r-right now.” Bill confessed.

Richie nodded, “Thats fine, my dad wont be home.” 

“Sleep over at Richie’s!” Beverly gave out a whoop, In a feeble attempt to lighten the mood- Which was usually Richie’s job.

Eddie looked over to Richie giving him a small smile, which caused him to wince, his lip bleeding once again. Richie felt as if his heart was going to give out at any moment, and not in any good way at all. This boy, this beautiful, gorgeous sweet boy, got the shit beaten out of him- and in a lot of ways it was Richie’s fault. As he thought more about it, No- It wasn’t as much of his fault as he thought it was, Because fucking Henry Bowers had assaulted him. Henry Bowers. That prick. He could never touch Eddie Kaspbrak again, and in Richie’s head he made a promise to himself that it would never happen. He never wanted to see bruises like that on Eddie ever again.

He didn’t notice till it was pointed out, That he was in fact clenching his jaw.

Eddie gave him a confused look, “Rich, calm it, I’m fine.” 

Bill sat himself down on the couch, above Richie and Eddie, who had attempted to make themselves comfortable on the floor. Richie didn’t want to move him, He didn’t want to hurt him. So he kept himself still, on the carpeted floor, as Eddie was lulled to sleep, His head on Richie’s shoulder. It was the first time in almost two months that they had even been in the same room together.

Beverly looked at him with a smile, “You shouldn’t do anything rash, Rich.” 

“Me? Doing anything irrational?” 

“R-richie, everything you do is f-fucking, ex-treme.” 

Richie ignored both of them as he pulled Eddie up and into his arms, He wasn’t hard to lift- He was skinny, and in Richie’s opinion a little too skinny and light. He placed the smaller boy on his bed and tucked him under the messy covers. 

He walked down the stairs eyeing his friends who had seemed to make themselves comfortable. Stan had been nowhere to be seen for a good hour, Richie assumed he had been giving them all space. In reality, he realized Stan had been looking for anything to cook them. To his surprise, apparently Stan had found enough shit to make sandwiches. 

“Thanks for the food Staniel, but I gotta run.” He mumbled.

There was a small smile on Stan’s face as Richie walked out the kitchen and out of the house.

Henry Bowers’ was fucked.


	9. Seeing Red, that was new.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He vowed to himself that this year no one would be touching Eddie in any harmful way- ever again. He would do everything possible to keep this boy safe. He had thought that staying away would keep him out of trouble but it turns out all it did was put Eddie into unsafe situations. He was wrong. He was so wrong to leave eddie alone. 
> 
> School started in two weeks, It was time to get his shit together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I dont know if this is angsty, but itll probably give u happy feelings because some ppl get whats coming to them!! I love that you guys are so excited and that you appreciate my hard work! I've noticed there arent a lot of chaptered fics in the IT fandom and i wanna make this one be in history! I want it to be long and cute! Please please please, leave comments and subscribe to the story! Also you can subscribe to my account if you want to know when i post more Reddie content

It wasn’t a surprise to him that he had a bit of anger issues, but it was never like this. His feet were moving faster than his brain could process. He was seeing red and in reality he had no idea what he was going to do- until he did realize. He was going to beat the shit out of Bowers’ because he hurt Eddie. That poor kid, who is half his size. He didn’t deserve pain, But Henry did. Henry deserved the black eye and the split lip. Eddie didn’t.

He knew that he would be alone today, because most of his friends had paired off with girls and spent the summer with them. He also knew Henry would be in the arcade terrorizing kids. Just like he terrorized Eddie. The thought was boiling his blood in a way he had never felt before. He wasn’t even scared. 

As a kid, he was terrified of Henry Bowers’, He wasn’t a kid anymore, he wasn’t scared and the time of getting kicked in the ribs and his head stuffed in a toilet was over. It wouldn’t happen to him, or any of the losers ever again. He could face it, He was taller than Henry, and had even gained a lot more strength from working on the treehouse all summer. 

He swung the door open, hearing the small ding, yet it rang loudly in his ears. Usually the familiar smell of the arcade would keep him calm- it would make him feel at home- but right now it had the opposite effect. He spent the majority of his time here with Eddie, He would watch him play and cheer him on. He would make sure Richie didn’t spend all his money, and when he did, Eddie would smile and hand him extra quarters that he had saved up.

“Oh, Bowers’” His voice dragged out, almost singing.

Henry’s head turned, There was a smile on his face, For a long time that smile had made him want to run, now he was furious and all it did was make him angry. It made him so angry that the red was just starting to blur in his eyes and he could barely see anything.

“Ahh Tozier! Fancy seeing you here” 

Richie gave a chuckle- that might even seem friendly or unagitated.

“So you’re still picking on people half your size, Huh?” 

Bowers’ leant against one of the machines, “Looks like I can still pick on you, stringbean”

With that, Richie snapped, His fist collided with Henry’s cheek and the other boy stumbled backwards landing against the wall near him. That was only the beginning because Richies knee hit at Henry’s ribs and another fist went to his face, and it was repeated, over, and over, and over. Until all he could see of Henry’s face was a bloody mess. It gave him a form of satisfaction- That he got exactly what he deserved, He knew it wasn’t enough for how Henry had treated him over the years, but it was as much as he could do without killing the other boy.

He pulled Henry by the front of his shirt and turned his head tilting it.

“You fucking touch Eddie Kaspbrak, or any of the losers again, and I’ll be back.” 

He walked out without looking behind him, no one stopped him, he didn’t get arrested and he wasn’t scared of it. Everyone in town would know, and everyone would agree that Henry Bowers’ had gotten what he deserved. He walked down the street and into his own house. His friends were all sitting in his living room eating the sandwiches that Stan had made. It wasn’t till Beverly let out a- 

“Holy fucking shit” 

That he realized his knuckles were ripped and bruised, even bloody from his- fight, well it wasn’t really a fight, because Henry hadn’t gotten a single punch in, In reality Richie left unscathed. 

“Yeah, Well- I guess my knuckles collided with a brick wall” He shrugged.

The plate of sandwhiches were on the table and he gladly bit into one, it turns out beating the shit out of people made you fucking starving. 

Stan looked at him in disbelief. “What the fuck did you do?” 

“I-if you hurt Henry, He’s g-gonna f-fuck us a-all up.” Bill spoke up.

Richie smiled and took another bite, “That won’t be happening, trust me.”

He looked up at the stairs and then to Beverly, “How is he?” 

Bev looked down with a bit of tears in her eyes. 

“Rich, He’s in a lot of pain, He hasn’t been hurt like this in years” 

Richie shook his head and looked at his knuckles, “I probably should’ve fucking hit him harder.” 

“Not without getting yelled at by me.” 

The voice was familiar, it sounded pained but gleefull.

“Eds’ you should be sleeping- you’re fucking injured.”

Stan looked up at Eddie with a smile, “Do you wanna eat? I made sandwiches.” 

Beverly walked over to Eddie sitting him down on the couch and covered him in a blanket.

Richie didn’t know what to do with himself. He hadn’t been close to Eddie in a while and once the shock and anger had subsided, he was so scared to hurt the other boy that he didn’t even want to touch him. 

He sat down on the couch next to him, and Beverly made room for herself on the arm of the couch with a sad smile. Eddie gave him a painful grin, with his split lip, and kicked his feet onto Richie’s lap. 

“Thanks for taking care of me guys, I’m glad you’re here.”

He paused looking around, “Wheres Mike and Ben?” 

“B-ben is h-helping him with farm work t-today.” 

“Im sure they’ll be here soon, We called them thirty minutes ago while you were sleeping.” Bev spoke up.

“For now you have m-, You have us to take care of you.” Richie gave him a toothy grin and wrapped his hand around Eddie’s ankles comfortingly.

Richie thought about all the times he and Eddie had been chased by Henry on their own. He remembered falling down and Eddie was always there to pick him up and hold his hand to run away once again. It seemed like they were always running away together- Eddie and Richie against the world.

He vowed to himself that this year no one would be touching Eddie in any harmful way- ever again. He would do everything possible to keep this boy safe. He had thought that staying away would keep him out of trouble but it turns out all it did was put Eddie into unsafe situations. He was wrong. He was so wrong to leave Eddie alone. 

School started in two weeks, It was time to get his shit together.


	10. The cutie and the beast.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just sit back down! Before I have to go home, My mom is probably worried sick.” He was grumbling, and he looked more down then he had when he was in pain. Eddie’s mother really did have that effect on him. He hated Eddie’s mother almost as much as he hated his own parents. She made Eddie suffer more than Henry Bowers’ ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I've been up since five in the morning so i've been doing an awful lot of writing to pass the time. Please enjoy this, i know its probably not as long as my usual chapters but i wanted to get this one out today! Please comment and subscribe to the fic and to me! <33

Eddie was the softest, and most gentle boy that Richie had ever met. From the beginning of their friendship he had always had the urge to protect him, to take care of him. For the most part it always seemed like Eddie didn’t mind. Beverly had once told him that they bickered like an old married couple- but in reality Richie wouldn’t have it any other way. He would never be caught out loud saying it, but Eddie was his other half- it wasn’t romantic or anything, but they were partners in life. He couldn’t imagine a future without Eddie in it. He hoped for Eddie that it was the same.

After thirty minutes of waiting for Mike and Ben they showed up at Richie’s door, looking exasperated and tired- but also full of worry, as they all were. In reality they all knew Eddie would be fine, but they were also crippled with the fear the Henry Bowers’ would retaliate in some way. The only person who wasn’t absolutely terrified was Richie, who if Eddie wasn’t sitting on his couch in pain, would have had a smug grin on his face. Everyone knew the reality that Eddie was going to be in pain for a while, and that by the time school started he would still look bruised and banged up. Richie knew how it felt, He knew what painful bruises felt like, He knew how hard it was to smile with a split lip. Eddie didn’t, He had only been hit a few times in his life, and it was all by Henry Bowers’ but never this hard, or severe.

“Took you fuckers long enough” Richie retorted as he watched Eddie sleep.

Ben looked down at their friend with a worried expression, and then down at Richie. Ben looked confused and pained. He didn’t know about any of the situation only that Eddie was hurt.

“Who uh, Who hurt him, Rich?” it was a question that Ben already knew the answer to.

“It was that ugly pimple faced, mullet wearing asshole, Bowers’.” 

Ben nodded in understanding as him and Mike leant down in front of Eddie, looking at the small boy with understanding and sympathy.

Mike shuffled up onto his feet, “I brought cookies.” 

Beverly smiled putting them on the table, “You’re almost as bad as Stan, He made sandwiches.” 

“We sh-should w-watch a movie?” Bill suggested as the group sat in individual seats and on the floor. Everyone seemed to be attempting to relax for the night. Richie was still going to be wide awake as he watched over Eddie and all his friends.

“I think we should watch pretty woman!” Beverly squealed as she walked over to the tv. 

“You all have no choice!” 

Bill rolled his eyes fondly, The rest, excluding Ben, were letting out groans and protests.

“Bev, we’ve watched it five times this summer..” Stan sounded less irritated and more exasperated.

Richie for once, stayed quiet on their choice of movie, at this point he didn’t care. He was exhausted and miserable. He thought when he saw Eddie again, he would be the happiest man alive, but the relief he had from seeing his face had drained completely upon seeing bruises. His poor freckled was was wrecked, because of some selfish and angry kid.

They played three movies that night, none of which Richie could remember. He did remember Bev crawling onto the recliner adjacent from him, and Stan and Bill making a nest of blankets on the floor. He remembered that Mike had taken his bed, and Ben was using the blow up mattress at Beverly’s feet.

Once again it was just him and Eddie, laying together in silence, Eddie was on the opposite end of him, still with his feet on Richie’s lap, and Even if falling asleep sitting up was one of the most uncomfortable things in the world- there was no way he was moving Eddie. 

Waking up with an ache in his back and shoulders was totally worth it, because he got to wake up to a sleeping, peaceful Eddie. It filled him with so much joy, he couldn’t really process it. Eddie was already waking up, which Richie was thankful for, now he knew that Eddie didn’t have a concussion. (He probably shouldn’t have let him sleep.)

“My head hurts.” First complaint of the day.

Richie smiled ruffling Eddie’s hair and moving his feet to get the multrin, Only for Eddie to yelp a “No!” and pull Richie back. 

“Make Bev do it, your warm.” Eddie mumbled as he shuffled next to Richie and spread the blanket around them. 

“Bev!” Richie made an attempt to kick his best friends chair- it didn’t work, However his yelling did. 

“You heard the boy! Get him some multrin asap!” 

Richie did enjoy the fact that he got to boss people around on behalf of Eddie, it made a grin appear on his face.

“How ya feelin’ Eds?” Richie whispered into Eddie’s hair.

Eddie shrugged, He looked smaller like this- more vulnerable, and Richie didn’t think that was even possible.

“Guys! Look at this fuckin cutie!” Richie was hollaring already- ignoring Eddie’s headache. So of course he decided to invade Eddie’s personal space and smothered his face in gross kisses.

“Cutie. Cutie. Cutie!” 

“Richie! I will push you off this couch.”

“But I thought I was warmmmm” 

“Shut up.”

“Eddie - spaghetti! You wound me so!” 

Eddie smiled, then cringed- making Richie’s heart drop. For a moment he had forgotten about all of Eddie’s injuries and the sadness that was plastered all over his face. Eddie always had this innocence about him and it showed the most in his bright smile. Something that he would kill to see everyday. 

“Just sit back down! Before I have to go home, My mom is probably worried sick.” He was grumbling, and he looked more down then he had when he was in pain. Eddie’s mother really did have that effect on him. He hated Eddie’s mother almost as much as he hated his own parents. She made Eddie suffer more than Henry Bowers’ ever had.

Richie sat back down hugging Eddie.

“‘Wish you didn’t have to go home.” He whispered, and He knew Eddie could probably barely hear him.

“Me too.”


	11. For my future husband

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Usually he would never show this side to anyone- but Eddie was here, and he needed his help, he needed to be calm. That poor kid was in pain, and he didn’t need to be bothered- not in the way that he usually was. He tucked Eddie in, keeping him in a tight cocoon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! A03 was offline for the entire time i was awake! So i wasn't able to update this fic or write, because when i got up i had to go to work. So after work i had to write this short chapter! I know its not as long as usual but im trying my best! Please leave comments and kudos they mean everything to me! I love those long ones, but even the short ones give me happiness! dont forget to subscribe to the fic and to me if you want to be emailed when i write something new or if i update my fic!

“B-bowers’ dad is so fucking pissed.” 

Richie heard the words before he even saw the door open, His bedroom door was kept closed for the majority of his life- to keep out just about everyone. It seemed though that none of his friends cared. The amount of times Bill has walked in on him jerking off is uncountable. Thank god this time it was just Richie with his feet on his desk as Eddie slept on his bed, still healing.

The rest of the losers’ had gone out for breakfast at the diner, leaving Richie to take care of Eddie. They had offered for Richie and Eddie to come- Eddie wanted desperately to go outside and hang out with his friends, but sitting up he was in too much pain and he really shouldn’t be seen going outside ‘till his mother sees him home.

Richie’s head snapped towards the door.

“Not my problem.” He shrugged looking over at Eddie with a small smile.

“I-t wasn’t f-fucking worth it!” 

Richie couldn’t be bothered looking at his other friend in that moment. It wasn’t worth it? How could anyone possibly say that to him, Or to Eddie who was literally the victim of being pumbled by someone almost three times his size. Eddie- who would do anything for his friends, Eddie, who wouldn’t think twice before jumping in front of one of them to take a punch. He was definitely worth it. There was no way that Eddie Kaspbrak wasn’t worth it. 

“Dont.” The one single word was hushed, but a quick little snipe at his other friend.

Richie didn’t make a mistake at all, Henry Bowers’ deserved a lot more than what he got. Richie’s fist didn’t hit him enough. He didn’t hit him hard enough. Not at all. 

Sure, he couldn’t do anything to the rest of Bowers’ gang right now, and He couldn’t hide forever- but for right now, hiding in his room watching over his best friend was what he needed to do. It's what he was meant to do. His whole life he’s been protecting Eddie, and Eddie protecting him in return. Eddie couldn’t be protecting Richie anymore. They were going to be sophomores, they were all getting older, stronger, taller. Eddie wasn’t, he was still as short and as scrawny as the day they met- Well maybe not as short- obviously, but He was tiny, for a teenager.

He could hear footsteps coming from the stairs and could sense the presence of another person before they even spoke.

“Rich- if anyone finds out it was you..” She paused, “You could get arrested, Or- Or hurt.”

“Yeah well, it was worth it.” He smiled “I’d do it for any of you, especially you Bevvie” He winked moving to open his window and sitting on the ledge. She sat down opposite to him as Bill gave them an eye roll and sat on the end of Richie’s bed near Eddie’s feet. Beverly passed the newly rolled joint and watched as Richie lit it.

“Eww, Dont fucking smoke that shit near me, Rich!” 

The yelp was coming muffled from under the covers.

“C’mon Eds, Me and Bev are having fun..” He drawled off, He wasn’t high yet, but he would be soon enough. 

No one actually knew where Beverly and Richie kept getting the pot. Eddie had tried to figure it out two years ago- to stop his friends from smoking- It hadn’t worked, which wasn’t surprising because he wouldn’t go near any sleazy parts of town, In the beginning Beverly had gotten it from her dad. After a while Richie had started stealing from his own, That was ‘till his father had found out and beaten the shit out of him until he had a broken rib and hadn’t seen anyone but Beverly for almost a month.

He took a drag and passed it back to Beverly.

“Rich! I swear to god!” He complained ripping the blankets off of himself- then letting out a groan and rolling back over in pain.

Richie bolted upright, nearly falling over his own feet to get to his best friend. He gave him a small smile.

“Lay back down, Spaghetti.” He grabbed the blankets pulling them back over Eddie. 

Usually he would never show this side to anyone- but Eddie was here, and he needed his help, he needed to be calm. That poor kid was in pain, and he didn’t need to be bothered- not in the way that he usually was. He tucked Eddie in, keeping him in a tight cocoon. 

“Shut. up. You don’t need to baby me.” 

Richie rolled his eyes, “Of course not, but your my future husband! I have to take care of you!” He rolled onto the bed on his side looking at his best friend in the eyes. 

“You’re not leaving till you’re better- Or like for another hour.”

They wouldn’t notice, not at this moment- not with both their eyes locked on each other, with both Eddie and Richie in such close proximity, not with Eddie being in so much pain and Richie being so overwhelmed with the need to take care of the other boy. They wouldn’t notice that Beverly had locked eyes with Bill and that they shared a small knowing smile.


	12. If he had a choice, they would all float away.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Richie looked down, he wouldn’t sigh or show his disappointment, he shouldn’t be upset- but he knew Eddie was going home to something worse than hanging out at his house and watching shitty movies. He knew he wouldn’t be able to walk Eddie home- his father would be home in a few hours and if he was out with Eddie, he would get shit for it. He had no other wish at this moment then to keep Eddie right there at his side- where he was safe- but he also knew in a few hours when his father got home, that anyone in his house wouldn’t be safe at all. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I know my chapters have been really short recently, I try to keep them to 1k or larger but I've been at work and im really tired and stressed, writing and art usually helps me! If you want to follow me on tumblr its @toziersspaghettihead and my ig is @Eds_tozier_ 
> 
> If you want updates on this fic dont forget to subscribe to it! Also please, please, please comment! they make my day. Leave kudos if you enjoy this chapter. Technically its a filler but I want you guys to see the progress and thoughts of all the characters.

Eddie had fallen asleep not long after, leaving Richie to watching over him and the rest of the losers’ were apparently still hanging out in his living room- because they have no lives. Richie’s steps were heavy as he walked down to see his friends. His usual cheeky grin was returning but not exactly there yet.

“Sup Losers’” 

He flopped down onto the couch kicking his feet up onto the table and wrapping an arm around Beverly’s shoulder. She shrugged away giving him a light slap to the arm with a small smile.

“He’s doin’ okay guys- I mean he wasn’t gunna die, but he looks better now.”

Stan sat with his head on his knees on the green recliner in the corner, He tried to look supportive, Richie could tell- but all he really saw was sadness and worry. The same look that they all shared, especially when one of them was hurt. 

This was different though, it was Eddie, and he couldn’t always defend himself. Thats something that scared them- all of them.

Richie gave Stan a large smile, “Don’t worry Staniel, Eds is gonna be fine! Then i can get back to fucking his mother.” 

Their groans were all almost in unison as there was a large amount of ‘beep beep’s’ hollard at him from all around his living space.

Ben looked over to the steps “Do you think it would be cool if we went up to see him?” 

Richie gave a nod and watched as everyone but Stan walked up into his bedroom and out of sight. 

“You know you can’t protect him forever, Right?” The voice wasn’t timid but it wasn’t stern either- in Richie’s opinion, it sounded weary, maybe even worried.

“I’m sure as shit gonna fuckin’ try, Stan” 

“Look, He’s not going to always be this fragile, and his mother has been coddling him his whole life, He’s not going to let you take care of him all the time.” 

“Yeah well his mothers’ an obsessive psycho bitch.” He huffed, crossing his arms.

If he wasn’t so annoyed with Stan, or the thought of Eddie’s crazy and obsessive mother he probably would have heard the thumps of feet coming down the steps.

“Y’know you shouldn’t be calling people’s mothers’ obsessive psycho bitches.” He heard the voice faintly from behind him and it gave him a small smile. 

Behind Eddie, was the rest of the losers’ all looking a lot happier than before, all looking a little more hopeful. Eddie looked playful and well rested. He hopped off the last step and padded himself over to the couch sticking himself between Richie and the arm of the couch. Richie gave a smile and pulled him into his side- Eddie tried to squirm away.

“Don’t touch me with your germs, asshole!” 

“C’mon Eds! You know you love it!” 

Eddie grumbled and looked around to his friends who were all staring at him as if he was fragile and made of glass.

“You guys know im fucking fine! I’m going home in a few hours, you don’t have to worry about me!”

Bill walked up to them both crouching down to ruffle his hair.

“D-dont be u-upset, we’re just worrying b-because wuh-we care.”

“I know..” 

Bev sat down on the ground across from them, Ben and Mike accompanying her with grins.

“Do you want us to walk you home? Like as back up?” Bev spoke out.

“Actually yeah, it would help.” Eddie confessed.

Richie looked down, he wouldn’t sigh or show his disappointment, he shouldn’t be upset- but he knew Eddie was going home to something worse than hanging out at his house and watching shitty movies. He knew he wouldn’t be able to walk Eddie home- his father would be home in a few hours and if he was out with Eddie, he would get shit for it. He had no other wish at this moment then to keep Eddie right there at his side- where he was safe- but he also knew in a few hours when his father got home, that anyone in his house wouldn’t be safe at all. 

So after about twenty minutes of chatter and light laughs, Eddie and the rest of the losers’ left. Eddie was the last to walk out the door. Surprisingly Eddie stopped from twisting the handle of the white door, and turned around to face him. 

Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie’s waste tightly, a grip as if he would float away if he let go. So Richie gripped him just as tightly, because it felt that exact way to him.

“Thank you.” 

It was a soft whisper that broke Richie’s heart as soon as it went into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!


	13. Crappy lunches, and ugly tongues.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We don’t know if his mom is even gonna let him come to school, dude.” 
> 
> Beverly slung her arm around Bill and Richie’s shoulders, sticking her tongue out at Stan. She gave them all a cheeky grin.
> 
> “Oh, He’ll be here alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Please enjoy this chapter and dont forget to subscribe to me and this fic! Leave kudos and please please please leave comments! I love them. Im on my way to work soon so this is short! Im sorry about that!

It was a week before Richie saw Eddie again, It wasn’t that long for most people- but this was Richie and Eddie and after all the time they were apart it was almost agonizing. He had thought about Eddie every day, and even attempted to call him. From what Beverly told him, the makeup hadn’t worked as planned- needless to say Eddie’s mother was furious. It made Richie’s stomach sick. He felt nervous as he parked his bike outside of the school’s steps.

Beverly was already there, leaning against a wall with a large grin. She pushed against it, gaining momentum, already landing at Richie’s feet and giving him a large hug, They hadn’t seen each other since she left the house with Eddie. They had been on the phone for hours last night, talking about anxieties of going back to school and talking about parents. Richie’s dad hadn’t hurt him this week, but he could tell his father was winding up to it- and it terrified him.

He leaned into her hug, gripping her tightly, He was already scared- Even though he was visibly less of a loser and much scarier than the rest of his friends, the trauma from years of abuse and bullying had gotten to him much more than they both thought.

He knew that things haven’t been alright with Beverly either. She hadn’t been beaten or touched in a while, but just like Richie- She could feel it coming, it was like a sixth-sense . He knew things for her were just as terrifying as they were for him. They both put on the bravest of faces for everyone else. For each other though- they were honest. They understood. Things would never be easy for the both of them, but when they were together, they had someone to confide in.

“Y-you both are g-gonna get picked on.” 

It was Bill, Who interrupted their moment, as it seemed he always did. He knew Bill wasn’t jealous, he had no reason to be. It had been wide knowledge for years that Beverly and Richie had some unspoken bond. It was different from what they shared with the other losers’. It was definitely different from what he had with Eddie aswell.

“Oh shut up, billy boy.” Richie shrugged as he locked his bike up. “Have you guys seen Eds?”

Right behind Bill, Stan had appeared- seemingly out of nowhere. Like always, silent and deadly.

“We don’t know if his mom is even gonna let him come to school, dude.” 

Beverly slung her arm around Bill and Richie’s shoulders, sticking her tongue out at Stan. She gave them all a cheeky grin.

“Oh, He’ll be here alright.” 

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

His questions were soon answered, it seemed, Beverly had oddly enough spent a lot of time with Eddie while he was gone for the week. Though as Eddie walked up to them with a small smile on his face and bruises evident- he looked cute, really cute. Beverly obviously had something to do with the gelled curls on his head- cute, curls.

“Eds! We were just talkin’ bout you, sweets” Richie wiggled out of Beverly’s grasp running up to his best friend and swinging him in his arms- gentle enough not to bruise but tight enough not to drop him. 

“It seems that in the week you’ve been gone, you’ve gotten some fashion advice.” Stan laughed. “You’ve stolen my curls.” 

“H-he looks g-guh-good.” Bill pointed out as he poked at Eddie’s hair.

“I thought so too!” Beverly squealed as she took Eddie’s hand, “See ya’ll at lunch!”

They disappeared into the crowd entering the building.

“Well.. That was interesting.” Stan mumbled under his breath.

It took four hours of Richie’s snarky comments, and anxious bouncing of his leg for him to see all of his friends at lunch. Sure, he had shared classes with one or more of the losers’. No classes with Eddie, which was disappointing, to say the least.

He was excellent at math, which had been his last period before his lunch hour and although he was great at it- it seemed his teacher was speaking some other foreign language because he couldn’t understand a single thing she was saying. He couldn’t even pay attention to the board.

The minute the bell rang he was out of his seat, his books already in the bag and ready to go. He plowed through almost every single person in the hall. He landed almost face first into Eddie’s locker with a large smile.

“Whatcha want asshole?”

“Im escorting you to lunch, obviously.” Richie snapped back.

“Alright, fine- lead the way.” 

They didn’t hold hands, However to keep himself from losing his best friend, Eddie gripped onto the back of his bookbag tightly.

The doors were pushed open quickly being pushed into by large crowds.

“Sup losers’” Richie plopped himself down on the bench.

Eddie sat down next to him, pulling out a sandwich, one that he knew Eddie would never eat. It looked disgusting. Richie shrugged pulling out a small bag of chips and opened it sharing it between themselves.

“You guys always share!” Bev let out, She wasn’t angry- it was just a observation.

“Y-uh- yeah, How come we don’t get any?”

“Because you guys don’t have crappy lunches like us.”

Stan rolled his eyes taking out a thermos of tea and a salad. “You fuckers are unhealthy.”

“So what?” Richie stuck his tongue out, showing pieces of eaten chips.

Eddie gave him a light push, as he got up to throw away the bag and the rest of the trash on the table. Richie was laughing with the rest of the losers’ some joked Beverly had made. The only thing that interrupted their relaxed environment was a crash and a screech.

There was Henry Bowers’ leaning over Eddie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed <3


	14. In between the beasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They talked for three hours, till they were both exhausted and fell asleep on the phone together. Richie had let himself cry, and Beverly had listened to him and understood his pain. They had spoke about her father, and how he was being unusually calm. He told her about how he got locked up for a couple hours before his dad bailed him out and proceeded to beat the shit out of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Writing gives me some relief but i also made some reddie sketches today which was really nice! Im really tired and its only 20 to 9 pm which is ridiculous! But its a sunday so everyone was at starbucks today so im exhausted. I really like how this chapter turned out because its a turning point in this fic! Please leave comments and kudos! They make me so happy! Also If you could subscribe to me it would be so cool! By the way, if you want updates on anything i make, or if you just wanna follow on tumblr, @toziersspaghettihead. 
> 
> Thanks for reading 
> 
> ~Kellie

“Ah- ah, ah, Bowers’ I thought we talked ‘bout this.” Richie sounded different- a little more menacing- not his usual free speech and laughing tone. He and Henry were almost the same size but at that moment it seemed as if he was towering over the other boy- He was definitely towering over Eddie, who was leaning on the floor- shaking and terrified. 

Richie wasn’t seeing red just yet, there was a hand on his shoulder and he could recognize the boney-ness anywhere- it was Bill. He wasn’t there to stop him or to keep him at bay. He was there to reassure him- to say ‘I’ve got your back’. 

“Gonna beat my face again, Tozier?” He paused moving his arms around displaying the room, “Around all these people?” 

Richie wasn’t phased, not at this moment. He wasn’t scared and he was aware he had an audience but it didn’t seem to matter. His fists were gripped tightly at his sides and he watched as Eddie pushed himself up and wedged himself in between them. Eddie placed a hand on Richie’s chest.

“Rich, its fine- you can stop” It sounded like a plea, but it fell on deaf ears.

“Yeah Tozier, your boyfriend said to stop.” 

“He’s n-” Eddie’s soft protest was cut off with Richie’s swift punch to Henry’s jaw. He knew black and blues would form soon after- surprisingly most of his bruises from their last brawl had healed.

Eddie had gotten pulled out of the way by Bill who had hugged him close as they watched both boys get into it.

The next person to make a move was Beverly, who smashed her metal lunch tray against Henry’s head. 

“You. Dont. touch. My. friends” Every word was accentuated by a hard punch. 

Richie had ten hands pulling him off by the time Henry was once again a bloody pulp. There was screaming of girls and rough voices of guys egging him on. There was a small smirk on his face of satisfaction as he looked over Henry. Good. He thought, at least he would be in too much pain to retaliate out on any of his friends.

So, maybe he was a little angry- and maybe he was a little dangerous. It was no surprise when not even five minutes later he was being led out of the cafeteria in hand cuffs, a tight hand wrapped around the back of his neck.

It only took ten minutes to get to the station, and five hours for his father to pick up the phone. His anger had dwindled down. His father’s anger apparently had only grown. The gates were opened and his father’s face looked as if it had been painted red.

“Dad I-” It was the beginning of an explanation, but also the end of a sentence as he was hit. It hurt- who was he kidding, it fucking burned. For the first time it stopped there. Maybe it was because they were in public, maybe it was because he could see the tears forming in his eyes- but Richie doubted it, it had never stopped him before.

His arm was gripped so tightly as he was being dragged out into his father’s car and into the back seat.

It was hours later that his father decided enough was enough and he didn’t need to break anymore of his ribs. It was then that he had snuck himself into the bathroom, dragging his landline in with him and waiting as he dialed his best friends number. The only person who would understand.

“B-ev.” He let out a sigh- almost a cry as he heard the ringing end a Beverly picking up the phone.

“Rich? Whats wrong?”

“Oh you know the usual, Pretty sure I have three broken ribs.” He mumbled- in a hushed tone.

“Dude, you need to go to the hospital, or atleast go to Eddie, He could patch you up.”

Richie shook his head- even though he knew Beverly couldn’t see him.

“Nah, I’ll suffer through it.” 

They talked for three hours, till they were both exhausted and fell asleep on the phone together. Richie had let himself cry, and Beverly had listened to him and understood his pain. They had spoke about her father, and how he was being unusually calm. He told her about how he got locked up for a couple hours before his dad bailed him out and proceeded to beat the shit out of him.

The thing was, Richie felt like he deserved it. On the other hand- He also knew it was completely worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> ~kellie


	15. Polaroids and hammocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hammock hung up against a wall- surrounded by polaroids. The majority of the pictures seemed to be of the seven of them as a whole- but quite a few of them were just him and Eddie, that’s how he knew that Eddie had put them all up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a short chapter- like really short but i needed to put something up there. Im really sad and tired but i hope you guys like this!

His hand was fucking broken. 

Holding his books in one arm, and attempting to light a cigarette was a pain in the ass. He had wrapped it that morning and still felt the searing pain as his fingers twitched- itching for him to just use the hand. The groan he let out when he finally got it lit was something that sounded orgasmic.

“So, you broke your hand huh?” The voice was small- even a little shy to what he usually sounded like, but it was still Eddie.

“Yeah- from punching Bowers’ in the face probably.” 

In reality, his father had stomped on his hand with all possible force the night before. He cringed at the thought, His father had been beating on him for hours. He could feel the cracks that hadn’t even healed in his ribs from weeks before. He remembered the feeling so well- maybe it was because it was only hours ago, maybe it was because it had happened so many times, but He remembered what it felt like to have his bones crushed or grounded down into the floor- to feel them smash under his skin- It burned, it felt as if his body was on fire. He couldn’t remember if he had cried. He only heard this continuous ringing. It was something that drowned out the yells of his father and most likely the sounds of his own cries.

Eddie waved a hand in front of his face, “You know I don’t like you smoking.. But-” Eddie grabbed the cigarette from Richie’s hand and held it for him to take a drag. 

“Think of it as a thank you- for like, saving me and shit.” He gave a small smile- it was tinted with this sort of sadness that Richie only ever witnessed in Beverly, and he only ever saw from Eddie when he was being patched up. Richie was grateful when he felt the smoke burn into his lungs.

“Eds’ you need to go to class.” It was a statement that he wished didn’t pass his lips- but it did.

“Nope, not till you go.” Eddie responded, bouncing on his toes and he took the cigarette and put it out. He made a small ‘eww’ whisper under his breath.

Richie forced a smile onto his face- a tired smile, but one all the less.

He could think back to all of the times that Eddie had refused to leave somewhere without him. It had become a pattern between them. Always together, never apart. One would never leave without the other. Maybe that was why it was just so damn painful to be away from his best friend for so long. It could feel like yesterday- in reality it had only been a couple weeks since they had last been apart. His forced smile had turned into a large grin as he wrapped an arm around Eddie’s waist.

“C’mon Spaghettes, Lets go get a fuckin’ education.”

“Dont-” Eddie huffed, not bothering to finish his sentence or bothering to squirm out of Richie’s grasp. In a way he could tell at this moment, Richie needed him. Eddie could see something withering inside his best friend.

“You’ll be good without me right?” Eddie questioned with a light frown, his face wrinkling. He looked concerned about him and that bothered Richie more than anything his father could ever do. 

“Aww Eddikins! Don’t you worry ‘bout lil’ old me!” He laughed out pinching Eddie’s cheek with his good hand. 

Eddie grumbled and swatted his hand away as he adjusted his backpack and started off in a hop as he ran off to his first class- joining Bill and Stan from down the hall. Richie watched with a small smile as Eddie disappeared into the sea of students.

“Sup fucker!” Bev’s voice rang out as she slung an arm over his shoulders, reaching up on her tippy toes.

“How’s the hand, dude?”

“Eh, could be better-” He paused thinking back to only a few minutes ago, “Eds’ helped me light my cig and take a drag.” 

Beverly’s mouth opened a gape, “Our Eddie?” 

He nodded as the took off walking, making their way to their first class and being ready to endure it as best as they could.

“Yup, M- our Eddie.”

It took four hours and forty five minutes for all the losers to see each other and for their group to be reunited. He could see all six of his friends huddled tight together on their benches- an empty seat next to Eddie just like always and he could feel his heart filled with warmth. 

“Losers’! Your king has arrived!” 

“Shut t-the fuck u-up” Bill muttered, but it was more of a laugh. 

Eddie’s groan was audible but went ignored, Stan was also ignoring him by reading a book on birds mating calls. Stan briefly looked up from his book before removing his eyes and looking back down. The only other people to really acknowledge and respond to him were Beverly and Ben, who both let out a loud ‘you wish!’ as a response.

Richie hopped onto his seat and plopped his book bag down at his feet, stealing one of Eddie’s fries. This year Eddie had decided to start eating the high school’s lunch in a way to defy his mother- it turns out the food wasn’t any worse than his mother’s cooking. Eddie swatted his hand away and then pushed his face away from his food quickly- with a red face- Richie couldn’t tell if he was flushed from embarrassment or anger.

“I think we should go hang in the club house today.” Bev suggested with a smile.

“Sounds nice” Eddie agreed.

Richie was hesitant but agreed anyway, and so did the rest of the losers’.

It was different than he remembered it, It was more colorful and full of life- It was no longer just plywood and nails- it had life and personality. There were string lights around the walls- Ben had figured out some way to get electricity to their newfound hideaway. A small mural of the quarry that he assumed Beverly had painted, A hammock hung up against a wall- surrounded by polaroids. The majority of the pictures seemed to be of the seven of them as a whole- but quite a few of them were just him and Eddie, that’s how he knew that Eddie had put them all up. Richie looked around a little shocked.

“Its- Its nice guys, really nice.”


	16. Home is where your bestfriend is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie turned his head to look at Richie- their faces close, and maybe for normal people it would be too close for comfort, but for Richie it seemed just about right. Them being in such close proximity felt more like home than anything ever had- Maybe even more than this hide away that he had built- with sweat and tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! I actually wrote a chapter I like, which is really REALLY good and makess me happy. I have a 6 hour shift tomorrow which is a first for me! Im nervous and tired and eh. ANYWAY, I hope you guys like it.
> 
> If you wanna msg me on tumblr its @toziersspaghettihead
> 
> Have a great day! 
> 
> Please please please comment, subscribe, and subscribe to me!
> 
> BTW THOSE DASHES SHOW A FLASH BACK, ITS SUPER COMPLICATED TO ADD BOLD AND ITALICS BC ITS A PAIN IN THE ASS SO PLZ PLZ JUST UNDERSTAND
> 
> TY

He didn’t walk completely into the club house right away, He stood in the entrance in some form of awe. It felt so much like home- it made him feel as if he was surrounded by the losers’ by his family. Yes, he technically was, his friends were all right behind him waiting to get inside but this place felt like a hug. He felt a soft smile tugging at his lips as he took his first step inside. This was the first time since he had left that he had been able to enter this place- the thing that he had worked on all summer to distract himself from the separation of his best friend. He could remember the frustration that he had taken out on this treehouse every day.

______

“You can’t run from him forever” 

Beverly’s voice wasn’t angry but it had a twinge of annoyance, as she watched him pick up and place the boards for the floor- each being put together meticulously. He probably reeked by now- he had been working all day- from the early hours of the morning, after he had escaped his own house and ran into the woods. He was looking for somewhere he could breathe somewhere he could be safe- So he built it.

“I’m not running” He grunted out, pausing for a second to hit a nail, “its more like- uh.. Hiding.”

She sat on the ground looking up at him as she ate a bag of cheese puffs- knock off cheese puffs because they didn’t really have name brands in Derry. He supposed it was just too small of a town to have anything good like that. The only name brand they had was Coca-cola which all of the losers cherished deeply. Beverly threw a cheese puff up into the air- attempting to hit him and missing.

“What if he just showed up? Like randomly?” She asked absentmindedly.

“I dunno, I guess then I’d run.”  
_______

He walked himself deeper into the small house and on to a large bean bag chair- How they got that into the treehouse on their own? He had no idea. He especially had no idea how they got a large ass love seat into the corner. First off, Where the fuck did they get that? Second, who the fuck carried it up there?

The rest of the losers’ made their way into the treehouse with large grins, Beverly made her way onto the large rug in front of Richie, Ben joining her at her side. Stan sat on the love seat looking out the window with binoculars. Bill sat on the bean bag chair right by Richie’s side. Eddie looked around awkwardly before walking towards the back and laying himself down on the hammock.

Richie could see the look in his eyes, He looked sad- if not uncomfortable. 

“I vote we play truth or dare.” 

There had been some slight whispers and small banter between all of them- but it was light and soft. When Beverly spoke up breaking the calm enviroment- everyone’s heads snapped up. The only head that didn’t was Eddie’s who seemed way more preoccupied with his hands than with the sudden suggestion. Stan had only looked over for a moment before returning to his birds.

“Why? We know everything about each other anyway.” He spoke, monotone.

“We might find out some secrets.” Beverly smirked.

“W-well, I have nothing to hide.” Bill’s remark made something turn in Richie’s stomach.

Richie didn’t have anything to hide either, Right? The only thing he could think of were his issues with his dad, But those went unsaid- in some form or another all of them knew what was going on in his household- all of them but Eddie, Soft, beautiful, sweet Eddie- Who was also the most oblivious person alive. He couldn’t see anything if it was right in front of him, He was more blind than Richie himself. He was blind to? He was blind to Richie’s- 

Richie’s what? 

He had nothing to tell Eddie, he had nothing to hide from any of them. He was an open book.

Richie shrugged his shoulders and removed himself from the chair and plopped himself on the carpet next to Ben. 

“C’mon let’s do this shit.”

“I think im just gonna read a comic.” Eddie spoke out- it was soft and unsure.

“Nope!” Richie smirked walking quickly over to the hammock and picking the smaller boy up walking him over to the rug and plopping him down. Richie sat behind him- hugging him from behind. “You’re staying here, and your gonna play, Spaghetti head.”

Richie couldn’t tell, but Eddie’s blush ran up to his ears.

Stan was the last person to sit on the rug and complete their circle.

“We should go clockwise.” Eddie recommended- probably because he knew he would go last.

Everyone gave a nod.

“Rich, Truth or dare.” Beverly questioned.

Richie gave a mischievous grin and looked around the small room.

“Well, I don’t wanna be a pussy- but I think I’ll do truth.. Just to get y’all warmed up.”

Beverly nodded looking to all the boys around her.

“Who are you closest to in this room?” 

There were small bickering whispers between each of the losers’, but they all knew the truth.

“Of course! It would be my future wife- Eddie Spaghetti!” He hollard, tightening his grip around his best friend with a large smile.

“Im not your future anything, asshole!” Eddie wiggled around in Richie’s arms but didn’t have a serious attempt to leave his best friends grasp. His voice was light and airy- He wasn’t angry and his words weren’t spit out with spite- They were spoken with laughter.

“Alright alright, Billy boy, it’s your turn” 

Bill gave a nervous laugh and looked Richie in the eyes- a silent plea to not ask anything stupid.

“Truth or dare, Bill?” 

“Truth- I, u-unlike you, am definitely a wuss.” 

“What is the farthest base you’ve gone to?” Richie wiggled his eyebrows.

“I- uh, Second” He smirked, looking at the surprised faces.

“Huh, I’ve gone further with Mrs.K” Richie responded.

“Stan, Truth or dare?” 

Stan gave an unimpressed shrug. 

“Dare.” His one word response wasn’t surprising to any of the other losers’.

“Wooow, Stan’s got more balls than Richie!” Beverly laughed.

Richie gave a grumble and rolled his eyes.

“Eds, knows I’ve got balls- Don’t you know Eddie-kins?” 

“Shut the fuck up and let Bill give his dare!” Eddie yelped.

“Stan, I dare you.. T-to lick Richie’s face!” 

Stan’s face scrunched up, “You do realize he probably hasn’t bathed in like a year right?”

“C’mon Staniel, I promise I’m clean.”

Eddie turned his head to look at Richie- their faces close, and maybe for normal people it would be too close for comfort, but for Richie it seemed just about right. Them being in such close proximity felt more like home than anything ever had- Maybe even more than this hide away that he had built- with sweat and tears.

Stan crawled over to his friend and quickly licked his cheek, letting out a disgusted groan.

“You taste like sweat.” 

“Sorry dude, I worked up a sweat with Ed-” 

“You finish that sentence, and I cut off you’re balls” Eddie cut in.

Stan gave a large smile looking between Eddie and Richie.

“Eddie! Truth or dare, my friend.” 

“Dare.”


	17. The totally not gay chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was a new one, why did everyone have to actively pick on him during this damn game. Couldn’t he just laugh at everyone’s embarrassment- instead of everyone laughing at his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you're all gonna have a heart attack after reading this! Its not rushed i promise, because this kiss is only going to ensue gay panic and confusion on both ends! Please please enjoy and leave comments because i love them a lot. They mean the world to me.

Dare? Eddie fucking chose Dare? What alternate universe did he freaking walk into? This wasn’t Eddie- this wasn’t his best friend- but at the same time it was, it was that little grin, the smile that he didn’t get often enough- the one that even showed his teeth. He was interested- He wanted to have fun.

“I dare you to..” Stan drawled off attempting to think of something fun and cool.

“To.. Straddle Richie.” 

Well, that was a new one, why did everyone have to actively pick on him during this damn game. Couldn’t he just laugh at everyone’s embarrassment- instead of everyone laughing at his own.

“Easy.” Eddie replied, doing just as he was dared, he turned himself around and straddled Richie, wrapping his arms around his neck. 

“This good, Stan?” 

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it.” Stan smirked.

“Of course he would! Eddie isn’t a pussy like all of you!” Bev giggled.

Their faces were so close, Richie could feel Eddie’s breath on his face and could smell the mint of his tooth paste and the strawberry of his shampoo. He always smelt good- He always smelt like happiness and home, something about him was good and pure. Richie could feel the warmth in his chest rising all the way up to his neck and onto his cheeks- and he prayed in the dim light no body could tell- that Eddie couldn’t see it.

“Well well well, This isn’t how I imagined you on my lap, Eds.” He paused wrapping his arms around Eddie’s waist. “But this will do.”

Eddie gave a small grin and at almost a whisper, “Truth or dare?” 

“Dare.” 

Eddie paused showing a thoughtful look, “Raincheck on it, Rich.. I have to think.” 

It took another forty minutes of going in a circle for all the losers’ to feel perfectly humiliated. Richie felt smug, thinking of all the dares he had given. Ben and Bev had kissed, Stanley had attempted to hang from the ceiling, and Bill had given all his pocket change to Richie- Even Better, Eddie hadn’t moved from his lap the entire time. This was a good fucking day.

The last two in the tree house were- as always- Eddie and Richie.

Eddie had all but fallen asleep in his lap and his breath was soft against Richie’s neck. It was an uncomfortable position, leaning against a wall with his back out straight, attempting to keep from moving and waking the smaller boy.

It lasted only a few more minutes until Eddie was awake and grumbling about his mother. They both knew Eddie’s mother would be angry to find him coming home after dark on a school day. 

“C’mon Eds, I’ll walk you home.” 

They climbed down the ladder and throughout the quarry making their way to their bikes and onto Eddie’s street. They stopped a few houses down, In an attempt to keep Richie out of sight from Mrs.Kaspbrak. Eddie climbed down from his bike and smiled at Richie, his eyes lighting up just a bit. His eyes were beautiful- He was beautiful. 

.Not gay. Not gay. Not gay.

“Hey Spaghetti?” 

“Hm?” 

“What was the dare?” 

“Nah, You probably would be to chicken to do it.” Eddie giggled.

“I’m not a wuss Eds, You know this.” 

“Well then..” Eddie paused, “I dare you to kiss me.” 

Thats all it took, six words, one dare, and Richie’s lips were on Eddie’s. His best friends lips were soft and plump, It was sweet and chaste- maybe a little to quick for Richie’s liking.

“Done.” Richie whispered into Eddie’s ear.

“Shit, I honestly didn’t think you’d do it.” Eddie spoke, in awe.

Richie placed his hand against Eddie’s cheek and smiled, rubbing his dumb against it in a soothing motion.

“Goodnight Spaghetti.”

Maybe a little bit gay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	18. A climbing tree and A secret to be told.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You did what?” Stan’s voice on the other end wasn’t his usual condescending tone, but it wasn’t surprised either.
> 
> “I kissed Eds.” Richie responded, deadpan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! In all honesty it took me a few days to figure out what i was going to do with this fic, I had a vague idea but had no idea how to get there! A friend of mine told me to make a outline, and even tho i didnt make a physical one, i have one in my head! I hope you all like this chapter and please, please,please leave comments! they really help me become inspired! Dont forget to subscribe to the fic for updates! And subscribe to me for when i put out a fic!

“You did what?” Stan’s voice on the other end wasn’t his usual condescending tone, but it wasn’t surprised either.

“I kissed Eds.” Richie responded, deadpan.

“What are you gonna do?” 

“Fuck if I know.” Richie sighed out as he rolled off his bed, pressing the phone against his neck and ear as he put his shoes on. 

“I guess- I guess I just like, Ask him out?”

“Rich..” Stan almost stopped himself- Richie could almost hear his gears turning in his brain. “If anyone outside the losers’ find out..” 

..He’d be dead.. 

..They’d be dead..

Those words were left unsaid.

“I know, Stan.”

He knew things would be hard, in reality he didn’t even know if Eddie was gay, or if he had any feelings for Richie at all. Richie kept his head down as he walked towards Eddie’s house, his beat up shoes smacking against the pavement. It seemed as if everything in Derry was clean, even the sidewalk he was on. It was power washed and bleached white, it looked so sterile, Like if Richie even stepped on it he would taint it like he taints everything else. 

He wonders for a moment if he was even gay? 

Would the rest of the losers’ hate him? 

Probably not. 

However it was still a fear, deep inside his heart that the rest of his friends would hate him forever, if they found out this dirty little secret. The one thing that it seemed he had even been hiding from himself this entire time. He knew Stan wouldn’t care, he had always feel as though Stan knew everything about everybody. He knew Stan would never be surprised or disgusted. All of the losers’ were best friends, but if Eddie wasn’t his absolute best friend- Stan would be the person he’s closest to. Stan was the person he could trust with his secrets. The ones that he knew were sacred. 

He was close to Beverly too, maybe closer than he was with Stan. Beverly knew all his secrets and he had a feeling that she knew this one before even Stan did. It’s why he hadn’t called her that morning. He had decided to hold off, until he needed to cry- until he needed someone to comfort him. Mostly incase Eddie said no. Which he probably would.

He approached the door much quicker than he thought he would- Maybe it was because he was so lost in his own head? Or maybe it was because of his long legs, but here he was, standing in front of the pristine white door too nervous to knock. He debated turning right around and abandoning his own plan. 

He knocked twice, the sound echoing in his own ears, as if it was the only noise in the whole town of Derry.

Mrs. Kaspbrak answered the door, a frown on her face.

He leaned himself against the wooden pole, one of the four that was holding up the roof of the porch. He gave her a large grin.

“Heya Miss. K, Do ya think I could see your sweetie of a son?” 

She looked him up and down and shook her head, “He isn’t feeling well today Richie, I wouldn’t come by for a while.” 

He nodded and gave her a two finger salute walking away.

He didn’t walk back home, instead he climbed up to Eddie’s window with a sly grin and knocked on the pane. He saw Eddie’s small frame walk up to the glass and open the window with a shy smile.

“Whatcha’ doin’ here Rich?”

Richie climbed in, standing awkwardly before wrapping his arms around his best friend and a tight bear like hug.

“I’ve come to rescue a damsel in distress.” He spoke into Eddie’s hair, pausing for only a moment before continuing, “I wanted to take you out Eds.”

Eddie looked up at him with a shocked expression which soon changed to a small smile and a dark blush creeping from his neck and onto his cheeks.

“I mean- Sure, but do you want me to change?”

Richie smiled as he looked down at him, having to adjust his glasses as they slip down his nose.

“Not at all.” 

Eddie was wearing a baggy sweater over his red shorts and his fanny pack was nearly covered by it. It seemed to be an oxymoron considering it those two clothing choices couldn’t be more different from one another. At the same time it made him look comfortable and happy.

“I think you look great, Eds.” He let go of his best friend quickly and turned towards the window, “You know how to get down, Right?” 

Eddie nodded and followed right after Richie, through the window and down the tree, landing gracefully on his feet. It just then occurred to Richie that Eddie might have climbed down from his window on more than one occasion during their friendship.

They walked side by side into town, unable to hold hands, an unspoken rule that they both knew they had to abide by. 

“Where ya thinking of taking me, Rich?” Eddie looked up at him, his curiosity clear on his face.

“I was thinking ice cream, Spaghetti.”


	19. Fellow children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hello fellow children, How may we help you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! this is a short chapter that I just wanted to get out here! Please leave comments and stuff it makes me happy! Thanks for your kudos and everything!

Vanilla, it was the same thing Eddie got every single time they went out for ice cream, and considering they had spent the majority of summer apart, it was a welcomed sight to sit across from him and watch him devour it whole. Richie on the other hand had always gotten chocolate, because it was messy and resembled dirt, he knew it would annoy Eddie for as long as he got it.

Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case, Eddie had even asked for some of his ice cream.

It was cute. 

For once Richie was at a loss for words, He was looking at Eddie, the sun behind him, leaving him in some god like halo, that made him look gorgeous- Or even more gorgeous than Richie thought he was. In a way this could be a date, they didn’t say it was- they hadn’t discussed their kiss, or the events leading up to it, they just let themselves be. It was peaceful, and Richie had enjoyed it, but there was this uncertainty that was nagging in the back of his head. 

He ruffled Eddie’s hair, giving him a large grin, “Would you say this is like, a date, Eds?”

Eddie gave him a small smile, “I dunno, I guess it is- If you want it to be.” He used his charms and his words to steal Richie’s ice cream right from under him.

“Excuse you- If this is a date, you are being a terrible participant.” Richie smiled.

Eddie gave a grumble and handed back the ice cream- the majority of it had already been eaten, and Eddie had decided to take a literal bite out of it- How Eddie managed to ever do that was confusing to Richie, because that must be fucking painful.

Their light banter and peaceful atmosphere was ruined, the laughing of a gaggle of teens only grew closer and the feelings of dread kept creeping up on Richie until they were right behind him. He wasn’t in the mood to be fighting anybody, all he wanted was this peaceful moment with a beautiful boy, the one person who captured his attention constantly and gave it to him in return.

“Ah, So the fags are on a date then, huh?”

His entire body tensed, it wasn’t in fear or in pain, he wasn’t even angry- Maybe the word was just annoyed. He didn’t want to turn his head to look at them, but judging by the look on Eddie’s face the other boy was terrified. Richie placed his hand over Eddie’s with a reassuring gaze and turned away letting go of his hand swiftly and giving a shit eating grin.

“Hello, fellow children, How may we help you on this fine evening?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!


	20. Not by a long shot.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, I’d say it’s not even over,not yet.” Richie responded,Smug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! New chapter! Please enjoy and leave comments they make me happy.

The punches came sooner rather than later, Richie felt them before he even saw it coming- He blamed it on his bad eye sight, in reality it was probably because he had placed himself firmly in front of Eddie instead of running to hide. He may have also been looking at his best friend face when the first hit came. They kept coming, he felt multiple hands on him at a time. There wasn’t much either of them would do, and there wasn’t a lot of talking, mostly just grunts and loud shouts of ‘fag’ and ‘flamer’. He knew it would never go away, and he knew it would be like that for Eddie as well- Even if whatever was going on between them was nothing and they moved on, neither of them would ever be forgotten or left alone.

It took Richie about four tries to actually pick himself back up and take a swing, one which landed nicely on Troy Bryan’s cheek. He knew it would only be a couple more blows before he was back on the ground. It seemed though that his fate was changing when Miss. Carnes- The ice cream parlour’s owner- Stomped out the door with a rifle, they all ran a lot faster than Richie thought was possible.

Eddie was stood behind him, looking almost frozen. Richie could see his breathing coming in large puffs as he panicked- It was over but It must’ve been like reliving a million incidents over and over again for Eddie. 

All the times that he had watched Richie get wrecked over protecting him, all the times he’s patched up Richie with a split lip or a suspicious black eye. Richie could practically see Eddie’s mind racing. Richie gave a small appreciative smile towards Miss.Carnes, who gave him a nod and a large grin- It sometimes seemed like some people in Derry actually cared about them, But only just barely.

Richie knelt down in front of the brown haired boy, who looked smaller like this- He looked almost like a small child just finding out santa claus is fake. He looked almost destroyed. Even without a scratch on him he looked as if he had just been in his own battle. 

Richie knew without a doubt it was a battle of the mind.

“Eds’, c’mon look at me, breathe.” He started, as he ran his hand up and down Eddie’s arm in an attempt to soothe him. “Count with me, one, two, three” 

He heard a faint wheeze of “One.” Being followed by a small “two” and a much audible “three.”

Richie gave him a smile, one with big teeth that showed a visible bout of pride.

“You’re doing it.” He paused examining his best friend, “Keep breathing.”

They had apparently both been stupid enough to forget inhalers, Richie had always kept a spare, but he had forgotten it in his rush to hang out with Eddie and hopefully have a full blown conversation- maybe about each other? Maybe about them together?

Eddie’s breathing settled, He looked at Richie attempting to show relief in his face.

“So much for a pleasant first date, huh?” Eddie asked, brushing a stray curl from Richie’s face- attempting not to brush against the already bruised skin on his face. 

“First date?” 

“Yeah, Rich.” He paused “I’d say it is.” 

“Well, I’d say it’s not even over,not yet.” Richie responded,Smug.


	21. The one where they both care.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had gone from holding hands as children, to running for their lives- and now to holding hands as almost lovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayeeee I wrote a chapter i actually like! I think you'll all enjoy it! Please leave comments and kudos and dont forget to subscribe!

Before they even knew it, they were walking themselves to the treehouse. It was a long kind of walk, one that started on pavement and turned into rocks and dirt roads. They had walked side by side for as long as they had known each other and holding hands wasn’t new but at some point it began to take on a different meaning and a different purpose.

It had gone from holding hands as children, to running for their lives- and now to holding hands as almost lovers. Out of all the losers’ Richie and Eddie had always held hands the longest. The rest of the boys had grown out of it quickly, But Richie and Eddie had never seemed to move past it. If they were scared, If they were happy, Or even excited, the first thing one of them would do was reach for the other’s hand.

They made it past the quarry about ten minutes after they had left the ice cream parlour. It only took another five for them to make it to their tree house. Richie hadn’t made it to the treehouse without any scratches, and apparently Eddie was smart enough to add a first aid kit to their belongings in their hideaway.

“Lemme just disinfect your cuts, Rich.”

Richie sighed as he plopped himself down on the hammock laying himself out widely and going limp. “Do you’re worst Doctor. K” He mumbled as he closed his eyes.

Eddie shook his head grabbing peroxide and a gauze, Only using it to clean out his split lip. 

Richie had no idea how he had held himself so well during that fight, considering his one hand was broken. He was still proud of himself for how he had handled it. He didn’t turn away when he felt the cold cloth at his lip, or when it rubbed a little too harshly at his skin. 

“Y’know you could actually be a real doctor, Spaghetti.” Richie smirked- fighting a wince.

“Yeah okay, Rich”

Eddie got up from his kneeling position, placing both his hands on the sides of the hammock and hopping inside of it. He wiggled himself around, placing his back against Richie’s chest. In reality it was no different from cuddling in Eddie’s bedroom at midnight, Except in some ways this felt safer.

“I think one day, you’ll be able to hold my hand, Richie.” Eddie whispered as he snuggled himself closer.

“I think we can do it in here.” Richie spoke from behind him, holding up his good hand and laying it in Eddie’s lap. Eddie wrapped his hand around Richie’s with a small smile that he was glad Richie couldn’t see.

Eddie fell asleep with his head on Richie’s chest quickly after they had settled down. Richie smiled as he closed his eyes reveling in the warmth of his best friends body against his. He could see the sun going down through his eyelids.

“Do you think we’ll wake them up if we go in?” 

“Probably, They’ll deserve our interruption anyway.”

“Shut up, Stan.” 

“Richie and Eddie are literally cuddling- I’ve never seen this before.” 

He could hear his friend’s voices through a foggy haze, His eyes moving only to see darkness, he could feel a heavy weight on his chest as he gathered his surroundings and opened his eyes. Seeing the rest of the Losers’ at the entrance of their hideout.

“What the fuck-” Richie started, adjusting his glasses, “Are you starring at?” 

“Eddie, Is literally sleeping in your lap.” Stan deadpanned.

“So?” 

Beverly smiled and walked further into the room plopping on the green beanbag chair by the hammock. 

“Lets face it guys, Its nothing new.” Bev added.

Richie looked down at the boy in his lap with a small smile, He looked so much smaller like this. He looked so at peace. It seemed as if every worry had left Eddie’s head. He looked almost- Calm? Almost like his fire had put out and he was just full of dreams.

“You fuckers better not wake him up.” He mumbled.

“Aww look, Richie cares.” Ben mocked.

Richie rolled his eyes holding Eddie closer, placing his chin over Eddie’s head.

He did care, He cared about Eddie more than anyone else this entire world. If he had to pick one person to be stuck with for the rest of his life it would be his spaghetti. He would go to the ends of the earth for that boy and his beautiful brown eyes. He would jump off a cliff to look at his freckled face for one more minute. He hoped he would have endless minutes with his friends, to be able to laugh and cry and sing with them for as long as he possibly could. 

When he was with Eddie though- there was no more minutes. There was no time- it didn’t exist. It was just them against the world. Thats what made things so absolutely perfect, they were each others people. They would bounce against each other like protons. They were able to fit so perfectly that it seemed nothing else even existed around them. Not time, not space, not any other people. Just Richie and Eddie.


	22. If spaghetti was a spice..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> However it seemed those two were caught in their own world, Richie was looking into Eddie’s honey brown eyes with the biggest of smiles, He shook his head attempting to dry out the drips that were falling from his curls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Its been forever, i've been super busy! I hope this chapter is okay and that you like it! Please subscribe to me and this fic! Dont forget to leave Kudos and Comments! they really do help me write!

“Do you think we’ll wake them up if we go in?” 

“Probably, They’ll deserve our interruption anyway.”

“Shut up, Stan.” 

“Richie and Eddie are literally cuddling- I’ve never seen this before.” 

He could hear his friend’s voices through a foggy haze, His eyes moving only to see darkness, he could feel a heavy weight on his chest as he gathered his surroundings and opened his eyes. Seeing the rest of the Losers’ at the entrance of their hideout.

“What the fuck-” Richie started, adjusting his glasses, “Are you starring at?” 

“Eddie, Is literally sleeping in your lap.” Stan deadpanned.

“So?” 

Beverly smiled and walked further into the room plopping on the green beanbag chair by the hammock. 

“Lets face it guys, Its nothing new.” Bev added.

Richie looked down at the boy in his lap with a small smile, He looked so much smaller like this. He looked so at peace. It seemed as if every worry had left Eddie’s head. He looked almost- Calm? Almost like his fire had put out and he was just full of dreams.

“You fuckers better not wake him up.” He mumbled.

“Aww look, Richie cares.” Ben mocked.

Richie rolled his eyes holding Eddie closer, placing his chin over Eddie’s head.

He did care, He cared about Eddie more than anyone else this entire world. If he had to pick one person to be stuck with for the rest of his life it would be his spaghetti. He would go to the ends of the earth for that boy and his beautiful brown eyes. He would jump off a cliff to look at his freckled face for one more minute. He hoped he would have endless minutes with his friends, to be able to laugh and cry and sing with them for as long as he possibly could. 

When he was with Eddie though- there was no more minutes. There was no time- it didn’t exist. It was just them against the world. Thats what made things so absolutely perfect, they were each others people. They would bounce against each other like protons. They were able to fit so perfectly that it seemed nothing else even existed around them. Not time, not space, not any other people. Just Richie and Eddie.

“Do you think he’ll be sleeping on top of you forever? Or can we like.. Go do something?” Stan questioned as he crossed his arms. He was sitting across the room from both boys in the hammock and was having a hard time sitting still. Something must of happened- Stan could usually sit in the same place for hours and never move a muscle or be discontent.

“I dunno, I could watch a soft Richie and Eddie for hours, guys” Beverly responded.

Richie grumbled, His body had basically gone numb from the weight of Eddie on top of him- He couldn’t be happier to not be able to feel his limbs. His brain was in some sort of fuzzy haze. He couldn’t really think about anything other than that this beautiful boy was sleeping on top of him. The same boy that usually had such bite and fire was resembling a small bunny in hibernation.

“I’m up.” Eddie whispered as he shifted up in the hammock.

“They wanna do somethin’” Richie whispered in his ear.

Eddie sat up, pushing himself off of Richie with an awkward look and a blush rising on his freckled cheeks.

“I’ll do anything.” 

“Yeah, apparently even sleep on top of trashmouth” Stan deadpanned.

“I’ll have you know I’m very comfortable to lay on.” Richie stated, matter of factly.

Eddie turned to give him a small- but noticeable smile 

Looking over the cliff of the quarry and around at his friends, Richie felt at home. He could feel Eddie right next to him, his heat radiating onto Richie’s own skin. He didn’t even feel nervous about the jump this time. He took one foot off the ground and let go.

He landed with a large splash and a loud laugh, Eddie falling not far behind.

The rest of the losers’ were already in the water and splashing around, Bill was on Stan’s shoulders attempting to play chicken against Beverly. They all knew it would be impossible for Stan and Bill to win, seeing as Ben and Beverly were like a well oiled machine. The only people to rival them would be Richie and Eddie.

However it seemed those two were caught in their own world, Richie was looking into Eddie’s honey brown eyes with the biggest of smiles, He shook his head attempting to dry out the drips that were falling from his curls.

“Y’know Eds, we could totally take em’ down.” He whispered as he slung an arm around the smaller boy.

“I have a feeling we could take on anyone, Rich.” He mumbled as he attempted to push his arm away- “And don’t fucking call me that.”

Richie smirked, disappearing into the water and coming up under Eddie, moving Eddie onto his shoulders. “Lets do this, spaghetti.”


	23. !B a b y! Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The losers’ walked themselves down the woods and out of the quarry, parting ways and leaving Eddie and Richie together once again. It took only ten minutes for them to reach Eddie’s house, their hands had been brushing the entire time, just enough to feel their skin touch every once in a while- but not enough to be noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I fucking love this chapter and i am so proud of it! I haven't been able to really write in like two weeks! So i really hope you like it. Please don't forget to leave Kudos and comments! They really make my day and give me incentive to write!

In this moment, with Eddie on top of his shoulders as he attempts to push Beverly off Ben’s own shoulders- Richie can’t remember exactly when he fell in love with Eddie Kaspbrak. Maybe it was the time that his dad first hit him and he had raced down to Eddie’s house, He had cried for hours and Eddie had went on a rant about how bullies should really ‘calm their tits’ about who they picked on. He hadn’t told him what had happened between him and his father, he had just climbed up his window with tears in his eyes and a split lip and broken nose. Eddie had patched him up, he had even started crying himself.

Or maybe it was the time that Eddie had shown up at his door, his small body shaking with anger as he went on a rant about how his medication was all ‘fucking gazebos’ He had ranted for hours in Richie’s room. He stayed angry at his mother even ‘till this day. Richie doesn’t think that the anger had ever gone away. He had been so mad, but Richie could see that part of it was sadness. His mother had lied to him for his entire life, He must’ve felt so betrayed. That was the day Richie had promised himself he would never hurt Eddie like that.

Maybe, just maybe, it was the day he met him in kindergarten. Eddie had been gluing dry spaghetti to a pumpkin’s head as hair. Richie had come up to him to compliment it but Eds’ had given him a dirty look and said ‘whatcha looking at dum dum.’ and Richie had responded with ‘Nothing but you, spaghetti head.’ They had been best friends ever since. 

He fell in love with freckles, Golden brown eyes, a temper and a running mouth. The same mouth that was currently running a mile a minute with anger spewing at Beverly.

“I’m going to kill you Marsh!” He paused to whine “And that strong ass boy under you!” 

“Richie! Control your boy!” Beverly yelped.

Richie rolled his eyes as he quickly swam towards Ben, holding one hand on Eddie’s leg and another one reaching out to attack Ben and throw him off his balance.

“Impossible Bev! He has a mind of his own!” 

Things quickly escalated from there, Eddie gave a shove with all his might and Beverly went tumbling down, Ben not far behind.

Eddie tumbled down from Richie shoulders with a large grin.

“We won! We beat your asses you motherfuckers!” Eddie’s voice bellowed in the empty space, bouncing against the rocks.

“Of course we did spaghetti!” Richie smiled as he turned around to wrap his arms around Eddie’s waist.

“Public affection, Rich” Eddie reminded as he looked around at their friends- even if they were all distracted.

“It’s literally nothing they have ever seen before, baby.” Richie murmured in his ear.

“Oh its baby, now is it?” Eddie retorted, his face red.

“Tell me you don’t like it, Eds” 

“Well, I-” Eddie began.

“S-suns guh-going down g-guys!” Bill, interrupted- Of course it was fucking Bill who interrupted their quality time.

“I guess we gotta get you home, spaghetti.” 

The losers’ walked themselves down the woods and out of the quarry, parting ways and leaving Eddie and Richie together once again. It took only ten minutes for them to reach Eddie’s house, their hands had been brushing the entire time, just enough to feel their skin touch every once in a while- but not enough to be noticed.

“I wish I could kiss you goodnight.” Richie whispered.

“I know, Rich.” He paused, placing his hand over Richie’s. “ So do I.”

Richie placed his forehead against Eddie’s with a small smile, “Goodnight, Spaghetti.”

Eddie was the first to pull away and let go of his hand, contact broken.

“I think I like ‘baby’ better.”


	24. Lions den, and flashback thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He couldn’t think of another word, he couldn’t even think of another sentence. His brain was going fuzzy already. His father hadn’t even touched him yet, but he was scared and he was steeling himself mentally and physically, ready for the verbal and physical hits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So I havent been getting a lot of comments recently which is kinda discouraging. I hope you all are okay and having a good day! Please please please leave comments and kudos and dont forget to subscribe to me aswell!
> 
> Enjoy!

The door swung open before Richie could even reach the front steps of his porch. Richie;s heart dropped in his stomach. It was happening again, His fucking hand still hurt and he was probably about to get be a bloody mess- One that Eddie would undoubtedly be cleaning up in an hour or two, Or maybe it would be Beverly? They had such a nice date (Kind of) before it was fucked up. Maybe he could go to Bev and they could talk, like they had before the school year had started.

“W-uh” hiccup, He’s drunk, “Where ya ‘been boy?” It was bellowed and loud, it made Richie cringe.

“Out.” 

He couldn’t think of another word, he couldn’t even think of another sentence. His brain was going fuzzy already. His father hadn’t even touched him yet, but he was scared and he was steeling himself mentally and physically, ready for the verbal and physical hits.

His fathers large arm blocked the entry to the door, he leant against it with an angry gaze, “You’re supposed to come straight home after school.” 

That wasn’t true, He had never heard that rule in his life. His father just loved to make up shit.

“That, was literally never a rule, dad.” 

Richie shifted on his feet, nervous. 

“Dad, I promise I’ll be home after school tomorrow.” 

He would never tell him that he went on a date, A date with a boy- With Eddie. His father would call him a fag- Harsh words were nothing new- but that word, it got to him, it made him cringe. He feared it.

“Sure, you will.”

If Richie had even one brain cell at that moment, he wouldn’t have tried to push past his father- who was built like a rock. He was pushed back, almost tripping over a step of the porch. Richie recovered quickly.

“Dad c’mon it’s been a long day, lets just get some sleep.”

His father didn’t respond, instead grabbing him by the back of the neck, as if he were some lion cub- Except not because it was harsh and painful. Went threw him into the house and across the hall before he could even blink.

In Richie’s mind he knew this couldn’t end well. His body was going to ache in the morning if this continued. His mind would race all night and his brain would go into mush once again.

“Get some sleep huh?” 

“How much do you sleep when you walk out that door in the middle of the night?”

His brain stops functioning.

He thinks back to all the times he’s stormed out of the front door, in the middle of the night just to climb through Eddie’s window. He’s done it one too many times apparently- His father noticed. He knew it would happen eventually, he shouldn’t be surprised, but he was.

~ ‘How do you get all these bruises, all the time?’ Eddie paused, cleaning a cut on the bridge of his nose, ‘you need to be more careful.’~

Richie can remember every single time Eddie had patched him up- He remembered every single touch and they way his skin felt against his own. Eddie Kaspbrak was a saint- At least in Richie’s eyes.

~ ‘You know how things are, Bowers’ and all that’~ 

Richie never told him anything else, even after Eddie had asked- He would come up with the best excuses he possibly could. Eddie can’t be worried about him, he has enough to worry about in his own life, he doesn’t need Richie’s problems aswell.

“Well, Boy?” Went spoke as he swayed on his feet walking closer.

“Where have you been spending your nights?”


	25. Oh boy oh boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Richie had been smarter, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten up and pushed back, maybe his father wouldn’t have stumbled into the banister and maybe he wouldn’t see the anger and glare of his father’s eyes. However Richie wasn’t smart- or as smart as he thought he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayeeee! Im so happy with all the comments! they made my heart swell with joy! Please dont forget to leave some love on this chapter too! I love you all and I hope you like it.

If Richie had been smarter, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten up and pushed back, maybe his father wouldn’t have stumbled into the banister and maybe he wouldn’t see the anger and glare of his father’s eyes. However Richie wasn’t smart- or as smart as he thought he was.

His father gave him another shove and Richie tumbled back into the door frame, Of course his head collided with the wall and he could feel the buzzing in the back of his head and the throbbing pain.

“Grandma could push me harder than that, Dad.” 

He had no idea why he was fucking egging him on, Richie must be going crazy. Usually he was terrified and petrified in place. Maybe it was because he had new confidence- He had always been confident- but now he had the boy of his dreams, someone right by his side. He was tired of the look on Eddie’s face, every time he came through the window with blood stained clothes and a broken nose.

He never wanted to see that look again.

He took blow after blow when those words left his mouth, At that point when he was laying on the floor and his body was scrunched up in pain, he was numb. He was so numb to the world and to the pain that in some ways he couldn’t even feel it. 

Or maybe he felt it too much? 

The feelings he had were always overwhelming, He felt everything in such intense waves. Most of the time he had no idea how to handle it, he would push it down until he became numb enough to ignore it and move on. There were times though, that he felt those amazing emotions, mostly when he was around Eddie or the losers’. The people who cared about him most.

He could feel himself smiling, which of course earned him a smack in the face the minute his body was pulled up by his hawaiin shirt- His favorite shirt, which would now be stretched the fuck out.

There were no more words exchanged, just loud grunts and grumbles from his father. Richie didn’t make a sound, no snarky comment or pained yelps.

“Rich, you gotta get out of there.” Bev’s soft voice broke through his thoughts.

She was cleaning up his face and examining his ribs, which would be all sorts of colors by tomorrow morning. She gave him a sad smile, as he flinched away. 

“If I could I would.” 

Beverly looked around her room and then back at Richie, “Stay with me and my auntie.” 

Beverly had moved in with her aunt during the summer, After her father had grabbed her in public and the authorities had been called. Her aunt was actually really fucking cool and rarely yelled at Beverly. She was never abusive and always had kind words. Her name was Lucille and for some reason she was always good to Richie- Unlike most people in Derry, She saw the good in him.

“That wouldn’t fly, you know that.” Richie responded, a roll of his eyes.

Beverly moved to sit next to him with a large grin, “I think once she gets a glimpse of your face, She’ll be on board.” 

“Ahh, all the ladies love me.” 

“Shut it, trashmouth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	26. When the world comes crashing down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He kicked rocks as he walked along onto Eddie’s street, He gave every shadow a nervous glance. His nerves were getting the best of him already. Richie didn’t know if it was because of his father or the inevitability of telling Eddie. When he reached Eddie’s door, he gulped- A real one, not like the ones in cartoons that were exaggerated but one of pure nerves and anxiety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know I haven't updated in a while and im really sorry! In all honesty I had a bit of writers block and didn't know where to go from the last chapter, I have the next few ones thought out though so you wont be waiting too long for another update! I know this ones short, but I wanted to get something out there! Please leave comments and kudos, they mean a lot to me! 
> 
> Dont forget to subscribe to this fic and to me!
> 
> ~Kellie

He thought about it, as he sat against the wall on Beverly’s bed. He thought about how he could have a life, maybe even one that wasn’t filled with dread and pain. It was such a pleasant thought. He could live with his best friend, a constant sleep over. He smiled teeth and all as he turned to the amazing girl that was in front of him.

“Rich?” She turned her head, “What the fuck are you smiling at, we gotta go talk to my auntie tonight.”

Richie nodded, his hair falling into his face.

“I gotta go tell Eds, He has no idea.” He admitted.

Beverly looked at him with a sympathetic glance, “ I figured maybe if you guys really were together-you would tell him.” She spoke.

Richie rubbed the back of his head, his stomach filled with anxiety. “I was planning on it, Bev.” He paused for a second, looking down at his hands. “ ‘never seemed like a good time.”

After three days of hiding in Beverly’s house with no words between him and Eddie- He was getting anxious. He was also hiding from his father. Beverly had kicked him out of her room earlier that morning and insisted upon him going to see Eddie and explaining himself. 

He kicked rocks as he walked along onto Eddie’s street, He gave every shadow a nervous glance. His nerves were getting the best of him already. Richie didn’t know if it was because of his father or the inevitability of telling Eddie. When he reached Eddie’s door, he gulped- A real one, not like the ones in cartoons that were exaggerated but one of pure nerves and anxiety.

He knew Eddie’s mother would be out of the house, She was visiting his aunt for the afternoon. He could remember vaguely, Eddie telling him this over the phone. 

He knocked, twice.

The door swung open to an angry looking Eddie- His face all scrunched up in some attempt to not beat the shit out of Richie in that exact moment. Not that he really could, anyway.

“If you don’t fucking start talking, Tozier..”


	27. The sun rises and sets with you.

Richie didn’t have words, He fucking should- He should have something to say. Richie should be able to tell Eddie the truth, 'Hey, my dads been abusing me since my mom left when I was five!' Or 'Hey! no big deal, but I was abused and didn't tell you'. Eddie would be crushed. He could see it playing out in his own head. Eddie being upset that he was hurt, He would panic and cry and would lose his breath. He could feel Eddie in his arms already- shaking.

His mouth gaped open as he tried to form a proper sentence, to say something that might make sense. He didn't want to upset the boy in front of him, Eddie was shaking in anger- which somehow wasn't as scary as it could've been, because he could see the glint of sadness and worry in his eyes.

"Eddie, Look..we need to talk."

Eddie looked down at his hands, and his shoulders slumped.

"We've been dating for a week and you're already breaking up with me." He whispered.

Richie's mind zoomed in on those words, the disappointment, the sadness in his voice. His heart broke.

"No! Not at all Eds' I swear!" He yelped, waving his hands exasperatedly.

Eddie looked at him, his face red and eyes dreary.

"Alright.." He paused opening the door wider to let his boyfriend pass.

Eddie followed Richie inside, with nervous steps. Richie could feel the tense air from his best friend's worried energy. Richie sat himself down on the pristine, egg shell couch and shifted- _uncomfortable_\- he thought. 

"Its.." He wrung his fingers- He was trying not to be dramatic, he was trying his best, but it was an impossible situation, Eddie was about to find out his largest secret.

"All those bruises and shit, It wasn't always from Bowers', Okay?" He let out, in one huff of breath.

"What are you saying, dumbass?" 

"Im saying, My dad fucking hits me, alright?!" He yelped, his voice cracking.

"jesus Christ, Rich.. I'm sorry" Eddie sat down next to him, attempting to be gentle. Eddie ran his hand up and down Richie's arm, trying to be as soothing as possible. Richie knew Eddie didn't exactly know how to take care of anyone, let alone himself- but he was grateful that Eddie was trying. 

Richie shrugged- wordlessly, shifting his weight on the couch and pulled the smaller boy into his lap, He shoved his face into Eddie's neck attempting to hide his heavy breathing and wordless gasps for air. He was trying not to cry. He had never actually admitted it to anyone before, never had to use those words. Beverly had found out on her own.

He held Eddie as tightly as he possibly could without hurting him.

"Just let me hold you, okay Eds'?" 

For the first time in years Eddie _didn't_ protest.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It got really bad last night.. I didn’t wanna call you, So I called Bev, Her Aunt might let me stay with them.”

Eddie splayed his hand out in Richie’s hair playing with the soft curls. Richie let out a pleased hum. He let a sniffle come out as he was still holding back tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of Eddie. He was supposed to be the strong one, He was supposed to keep them both safe and make sure they were both okay. How could he do that right now? Crying with the light of his life in his lap.

Eddie stroked his hair in an attempt to soothe him, and to both their surprise it did work. Richie let out a content sigh, and smiled softly, pulling his head away from Eddie’s neck to peck his lips gently.

“Y’know thats our second kiss,right?” Eddie whispered.

Richie gave a grin- still tinted with sadness- but a grin nonetheless.

Eddie cupped his face gently with a small smile, “Tell me what happened? Please?”

Richie looked down, grasping Eddie’s hand in his own and let out an uncomfortable sigh.

“ It- uh, It started when my ma was gone.” He paused, trying to articulate his words.

“He would get drunk, he would come home and he’d come up to me and do his thing, Y’know? Every hit hurt less and less because I became numb to it after a while.”

Eddie nodded understandingly and brushed his thumb on Richie’s cheek.

“It got really bad last night.. I didn’t wanna call you, So I called Bev, Her Aunt might let me stay with them.” 

Eddie turned his head inquisitively.

“Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you want to call me?”

“I didn’t want to upset you, Eds’” He paused “You’ got too much stress for that shit.”

Eddie looked upset, even hurt at Richie’s words. Richie wanted to console him, and wanted his words to be enough, but he knew they wouldn’t be. Eddie’s whole life he had been lied to- By his mother, by doctors, and now even his boyfriend had been lying to him. Richie couldn’t imagine the betrayal he was feeling, Even though he was spilling his guts and should be upset about the abuse- He was more upset about Eddie’s reaction.

He knew they would both need time, But did they have enough of it? 

Did they have enough time to work things out together? Could they even work this shit out? Richie didn’t know how to handle moving on with his life and moving passed his abuse. 

Eddie would know exactly how that felt.


End file.
